Federal High Court orders Kaduna state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai and police to pay N40m to Audu Maikori for his illegal arrest

 

A Federal High Court in Abuja has awarded a 40 million naira compensation to Chocolate City Group President, Audu Maikori for his unlawful arrest and detention by the Police on the orders of Kaduna state Governor Nasir el-Rufai.


Audu Maikori was arrested earlier this year for posting inciting tweets about an alleged case of murder by Fulani herdsmen in Kaduna. This turned out to be false information, and he not only retracted his tweets after facing backlash but also apologized.

Delivering judgement today, Justice John Tsoho insited that Maikori's arrest in Lagos was unlawful and ordered the respondents to the suit: Governor el-Rufai, IG of Police, Commissioner of Police and the Attorney-General of Kaduna state to pay the damages, also directing that they add the sum of N1,430 as the cost of instituting the fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed by Maikori in May 2017.

The Judge however ruled that the police could arrest suspects for allegedly violating the law and order on the cyberspace, and his judgement was not meant to interfere with the ongoing trial of Makori in Kaduna.