The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice has ruled that the Federal Government of Nigeria pay ₦10 million in damages to Abuja-based journalist Jide Oyekunle for the unlawful assault, detention, and seizure of his mobile phone while he was covering anti-government protests.
In a landmark judgment delivered on June 22, 2026, in Suit No. ECW/CCJ/APP/29/25, the regional court found that Nigerian security forces violated Oyekunle’s fundamental rights during the August 1, 2024, “End Bad Governance” protests at Eagle Square in Abuja.
Oyekunle, a correspondent with Daily Independent Newspapers and Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), was physically assaulted, detained, and had his phone confiscated while live-reporting the demonstration.
The court ruled that the actions breached his right to freedom of expression under Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. It also determined that the assault and detention violated his rights to personal liberty and human dignity (Articles 6 and 5), while the temporary seizure of his phone infringed on his right to property (Article 14).
The ECOWAS Court rejected Nigeria’s justification for the actions, describing the conduct of security forces as excessive and unlawful under international human rights standards.
Reacting to the judgment, Angela Uwandu Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, Country Director of Avocats Sans Frontières (ASF) France, said the ruling underscores the importance of press freedom in the digital age. “This Judgment sends a clear message that a journalist’s digital tools are extensions of the modern press and newsroom, and their arbitrary confiscation by security forces is a direct assault on the public’s right to know,” she stated.
ASF France, which brought the case under its EU-supported eRIGHTS project, described the decision as a significant victory for journalists and human rights defenders documenting public interest events.
The organization said it would continue to monitor compliance with the judgment and provide legal support to other journalists facing similar violations.
The ruling adds to a growing body of jurisprudence from the ECOWAS Court aimed at protecting civic space and holding member states accountable for suppressing media coverage during protests. ASF emphasized that the decision puts security agencies on notice that targeting journalists will attract legal consequences.
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