The ECOWAS Court of Justice has directed the Nigerian government to pay ₦5 million in compensation to Oluwatimilehin Adebayo for violating his right to freedom from torture.
The court’s judgment, delivered by Justice Dupe Atoki, also mandated Nigeria to conduct a thorough, impartial investigation into the allegations and prosecute those responsible for the abuse.
Adebayo filed a suit (ECW/CCJ/APP/47/23) detailing severe physical abuse he suffered at the hands of Ogun State police officers. He alleged that the officers beat him with an axe handle, restrained him with chains, and left him with injuries, including trauma to his scrotum and psychological distress. 
The Nigerian government contested the suit, arguing that it was filed outside the three-year limitation period under the court’s rules and that the matter fell outside the court’s jurisdiction. However, the ECOWAS Court dismissed these objections, clarifying that the limitation does not apply to human rights violations.
The court held that the torture violated Article 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to which Nigeria is a signatory. It emphasized that the acts were intentional, intended to coerce Adebayo into signing a pre-written statement.
While the court dismissed Adebayo’s claim that his right to a remedy had been denied due to a lack of evidence of a formal report, it underscored the need for accountability.
This judgment accentuates the ECOWAS Court’s role in safeguarding human rights across West Africa and sets a precedent for addressing cases of state-perpetrated torture.
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