Court Dismisses Charges Against MKO’s Widow, Fines Police N100m

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has dismissed all the allegations and charges filed by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) against Prof. Zainab Duke-Abiola, widow of the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola.

Dismissing the charges, Justice E. Okpe ruled that the conduct of the police against Duke-Abiola was inhuman, degrading and a clear violation of her constitutional and fundamental human rights.

The court also awarded a fine of N100 million in damages against the NPF, a former inspector-general of police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, and four other defendants.

Duke-Abiola filed a lawsuit against the police following their continuous harassment and media trial regarding claims of assaulting a police orderly.

The defendants in the suit were the NPF, Inspector Teju Moses, Baba Usman, FCT commissioner of police, Mr Ibrahim Umar and his worship, Hon. Elizabeth Wonni.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2370/2022, Prof Duke-Abiola told the court that her personality and image had been irredeemably battered by the defamation and assassination of her character which had diminished her status in the society.

According to her, the defamation caused her so much damage, trauma, ill health and reduced her standing and recognition in the global society bearing in mind the fact that she had attained international reputation.

She told the court that the publications in print, electronic and social media by the police against her person had lowered her estimation in the eyes of right-thinking members of society.

“Contrary to the defamatory statement in the print and electronic media as well as online media, I never assaulted my former orderly neither did I instruct anyone else to do so.

“Such an incident never took place in my house as there are CCTV cameras all over the street surroundings to debunk the claim.

“I have never asked the former orderly to carry out any domestic chores as sophisticated robot machines like Alexa are installed in the palace. I was never a suspect but a victim of a frame up by the defendants,’’ she said.

While delivering judgement, the court held that the action by the police was a calculated attempt to frame her up and political persecution executed through a grievous and unacceptable abuse of power.

“What occurred was a forceful abduction—a brazen violation of Professor Abiola’s dignity, liberty and constitutional rights. She was seized without due process, humiliated and unlawfully detained.

“This case now stands as a stark national warning of how citizens’ rights can be trampled upon by those entrusted with enforcing the law,” the court ruled.

Justice Okpe  dismissed all the charges against her and ordered the police to tender a public apology in two national daily newspapers.

The judge also issued a perpetual injunction restraining the police from further harassment, intimidation of whatever form against the widow.

LEADERSHIP recalls that Justice Modupe Osho-Adebiyi also ruled that her abduction and detention without arraignment were unlawful and unconstitutional, and that the manner of her seizure violated her right to human dignity, ordering damages and public apologies.