Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has been ordered by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, to pay the sum of N500 million to the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Murtala Ajaka, for violating his fundamental rights.
The court in a decision by Justice Inyang Ekwo on Thursday, asked Bello to pay the sum amount of money, following the violation of the rights case filed against him by Ajaka.
However, the court also ordered the Governor to publicly apologize to the SDP candidate “for the gross and unwarranted violation” of his rights.
While giving the judgement, Justice Ekwo equally issued an order requiring the security agencies and their heads to ensure Ajaka’s safety.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the judge further made “an order of injunction, restraining the security agencies from arresting/abducting, detaining and/or further harassing, intimidating, shooting/threatening the applicant’s life and properties.”
Ajaka had in his earlier prayer sought judicial protection against Bello in an originating motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/952/2023, filed on July 11 by his lawyer, S.E. Aruwa, SAN.
However, among the respondents in the suit were the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector General of Police, the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, the Department of State Service, and the Director General of the DSS.
Other respondents who joined in the suit were the Director of the DSS Command in Kogi State, the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Chief of Naval Staff.
