ECOWAS Court Awards N20 Million to Nigerian Man Detained Without Trial for 16 Years

By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna

In a landmark judgment, the ECOWAS Court of Justice has ordered the Federal Republic of Nigeria to pay N20 million in damages to Moses Abiodun, a Nigerian businessman who was unlawfully detained for over 16 years without trial.

Abiodun was arrested in November 2008 by operatives of the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). Despite being initially held for five months without charge and later remanded by a Magistrate Court in Lagos in March 2009, he remained in pre-trial detention without formal charges or conviction until his case was taken up by Avocats Sans Frontières France (ASF France), also known as Lawyers Without Borders France.

The case, filed under the EU-funded SAFE project (Strengthening National Actors’ Capacity for Ending Severe Human Rights Violations), resulted in a ruling on May 15, 2025, by the regional court in Application No. ECW/CCJ/APP/56/22.

The Court held that Abiodun’s prolonged detention violated his fundamental human rights as enshrined in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other international human rights instruments.

The ECOWAS Court also rejected the Nigerian government’s objections over the admissibility of the case and the authenticity of the remand warrant.

In reaction, Angela Uwandu Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, Country Director of ASF France in Nigeria, hailed the decision as a critical milestone in the fight against arbitrary detention.

“This decision is a powerful reaffirmation of the fundamental rights to liberty, due process, and fair trial. This case exposes critical systemic failures in the justice system and underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reform to prevent such violations,” she said.

The SAFE project, through which Abiodun received pro-bono legal support, aims to strengthen the capacity of Nigerian legal and institutional actors to respond to severe human rights violations, especially those affecting vulnerable populations.

The judgment not only delivers justice to Abiodun but also highlights the essential role of regional courts in protecting citizens when national systems fall short.