ECOWAS Court Orders FG to Pay N10m Damages to Journalist Assaulted During Protest

The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice has held the Federal Republic of Nigeria liable for assaulting a journalist and ordered the government to pay ₦10,000,000 in damages, in a landmark ruling that strengthens press freedom across West Africa.

The judgment, delivered on 22nd June 2026 in Suit No. ECW/CCJ/APP/29/25 and made public on Wednesday, was secured by Avocats Sans Frontières France (ASF France) under its European Union‑funded eRIGHTS project, which defends human rights in the digital space.

The case centred on Jide Oyekunle, former Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Correspondents’ Chapel. It was alleged that on 1st August 2024, at Eagle Square, Abuja, Oyekunle was physically assaulted, unlawfully detained, and had his mobile phone seized by police while he was live‑reporting the nationwide ‘End Bad Governance’ protests.

The ECOWAS Court found that Nigeria’s actions suppressed Oyekunle’s live coverage and breached his right to freedom of expression under Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The judges also ruled that the assault and detention violated his rights to personal liberty and human dignity under Articles 6 and 5 respectively.

Furthermore, the Court held that the temporary seizure of his phone violated his right to property under Article 14 of the Charter. It said Nigeria’s justification for the security forces’ conduct failed the test of necessity under international law, making the actions excessive and unlawful.

Reacting to the ruling, ASF France Country Director Angela Uwandu Uzoma‑Iwuchukwu said the decision sends a clear message on digital press freedom.

“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.

According to ASF France, the decision adds to growing ECOWAS Court jurisprudence protecting journalists and human rights defenders who document protests and public‑interest events. The organisation pledged to monitor compliance with the judgment and continue providing legal aid to journalists facing similar violations.

Uzoma‑Iwuchukwu noted that the ruling strengthens legal protections for journalism in the digital age, shields reporters from tech‑based censorship and intimidation, and puts security agencies on notice that targeting media during protests will attract accountability.

The eRIGHTS project, implemented by ASF France in partnership with the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), promotes and protects digital rights in Nigeria through strategic litigation, advocacy, and capacity building.

ASF France described the ECOWAS Court as a vital shield for civic space in the region, reaffirming that attacks on journalists during public‑interest reporting will not go unchecked under regional human rights law.