By Erewunmi Peace

A Kaduna State High Court has ordered the Nigeria Police Force to pay ₦15 million in damages to former Governor Nasir El-Rufai and others for violating their fundamental right to peaceful assembly and association.

Justice Edward Andow, who presided over the case, ruled that the police acted unlawfully by disrupting political meetings convened by members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) alongside El-Rufai.

The gatherings, which took place on August 30 and September 4, 2025, were reportedly interrupted—first by political thugs and later by police officers who cited an ex parte injunction restricting the meetings.

In his judgment, Justice Andow described the police action as a “gross abuse of power and a breach of constitutional rights guaranteed under Sections 40 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution.”
He further ruled that the ex parte order obtained by the police was an abuse of court process, emphasizing that citizens have a right to freely assemble and associate for lawful purposes.

The court awarded ₦15 million in total damages—covering compensatory, general, aggravated, and exemplary damages—and issued a perpetual injunction restraining the police from further interfering in any lawful political gatherings by the applicants.

The ruling has been widely hailed by civil rights advocates as a victory for democratic freedom and political tolerance in Nigeria.

It also sends a clear message to security agencies on the importance of upholding citizens’ constitutional liberties, especially as the 2027 general elections approach.