A Nigerian Appeal Court on Friday ordered the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to pay N10.5 million as damages to Audu Maikori, the president of Chocolate City Group.
Maikori had dragged El-Rufai and the Nigerian Police to court over unlawful arrest and detention between February 17 and 18, and between March 10 and 13.
A Federal High Court had ordered the Kaduna State Governor, El-Rufai, and three others to pay N40 million as damages.
But, the state government challenged the judgement of the Federal High Court.
However, the Appeal Court in its judgement today, ordered the respondent to the case to pay Maikori N10.5 for damages.
Maikori was arrested on February 17 and on March 10, 2017, by the police over a series of tweets he sent to his followers, alleging that some students of the Kaduna State College of Education had been killed by Fulani herdsmen in Southern Kaduna.
On May 5, 2017, Justice John Tsoho ruling on the fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed by Maikori had said the rights of the Chocolate City’s boss were violated.
“The arrest was improper, irregular and wrongful. By necessary implication, the arrest was unlawful despite being released after 24 hours,” the judge said.
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