A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the Nigeria Police Force to pay N22m to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Muritala Saliu for the killing of their three-year -old daughter, Kausarat.


In his judgment, Justice Okon Abang held that the killing of the minor by the police officers was unlawful, wrong and callous.


The judge added that the murder of the minor by the police was a gross violation of the deceased’s rights to life as guaranteed by Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Right


Kausarat and her parents were returning home from a Wolimat celebration (an Islamic gathering) when she met her untimely death in the hands of the police at Obanle-Aro, Ketu area of Lagos on April 5, 2009.


The three-year- old girl was reportedly hit by a police bullet just as the bullet, which initially hit her father’s hand, found its way into Kausarat’s head and she died immediately.


The father was said to have ran towards the police officer that shot his daughter and grabbed him.


But the officer reportedly assaulted him and his wife and detained both of them at Alapere Police Station, Ketu, Lagos on the grounds that they challenged the killing of their daughter.


But a group, the Access to Justice, filed an originating summons on behalf of the family on September 2009 to get redress for the family.


The AJ also joined the Inspector -General of Police, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, and Corporal I.K Nwabueze, as co-defendants to the suit.


But the police did not appear in court nor file a response to the plaintiffs’ pleadings


The judge further held in his judgment that he was awarding N12m against the police for the exemplary and aggravated damages for unlawfully depriving the plaintiffs of their rights to personal liberty.


He also awarded N10m as general damages against the police for the loss, pain and suffering caused the plaintiffs for the brutal killing of the minor.


The judge also awarded N15,000 costs against the police.


The judge further held that it was necessary to award N22m damages to the family as the police failed to avail themselves of the opportunity to defend the case, saying that the law was no respecter of person and that nobody was above the law.


He added that the assault meted on the plaintiffs by the officers of the IG and the commissioner of police after the killing of their child was a violation of the rights to human dignity as guaranteed by Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution.

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