ECOWAS Court Awards N30 Million to Glory Okolie Over Illegal Detention

The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, sitting in Abuja, delivered judgment on Thursday, awarding N30 million in reparations to Glory Okolie, a 22-year-old woman who was unlawfully detained and enslaved by officers of the Nigeria Police Force's Intelligence Response Team (IRT).

Represented by Abuja-based human rights lawyer Samuel Ihensekhien, the court found that Okolie had been illegally detained for over 90 days, a clear violation of Nigerian law, the Constitution, and international treaties. The Nigerian government, in its defense, acknowledged her prolonged detention but failed to justify the breach of her fundamental human rights.

Court records revealed that Okolie was arrested on June 17, 2021, and unlawfully held for 248 days, during which she was reportedly used as a maid by her captors. She was eventually released on March 23, 2022. Following her release, Ihensekhien and the One Love Foundation, a non-governmental organization advocating for justice and good governance, filed a suit against the Nigerian government, demanding N100 billion in general and punitive damages.

The ECOWAS Court had previously, in 2022, sanctioned the Nigerian government with a N1 million penalty for its nonchalant and contemptuous attitude, which caused delays in the legal proceedings. This penalty was imposed after the government repeatedly failed to submit necessary court filings.

The court's Thursday ruling marks a significant milestone in holding the Nigerian government accountable for violations of human rights and sets a precedent for addressing similar injustices in the future.

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