Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday
granted N10 million in damages to controversial Nigerian senator, Dino
Melaye, over a lawsuit filed by the senator against the Inspector
General of Police. Mr. Melaye had filed the lawsuit in 2014 after the
police stopped him from protesting against former Aviation minister,
Stella Oduah, who had just been exposed by SaharaReporters for a scam in
which she authorized the purchase of two overpriced bulletproof BMW
cars for her personal use.
Police had manhandled and briefly
detained Mr. Melaye as he led a group of protesters against the former
minister, who is now a senator representing Anambra State. The police
had justified their actions on the grounds that Mr. Melaye and fellow
protesters had not obtained permission to stage their protest.
Justice Kolawole ruled that the police had violated Mr. Melaye’s rights, and awarded N10 million in damages to the senator.
However,
in a parting shot, the judge mocked Mr. Melaye as a “self-styled”
anti-corruption activist. He said he awarded the cost to the plaintiff
because Nigerians have a right to peaceful protest, but also noted that
Mr. Melaye has now become a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The
usually loquacious Melaye made little noise about his court victory
apparently because he and Ms. Oduah, the target of his aborted
demonstration, are now both senators and part of a cabal at the Senate
that backs Senate President Bukola Saraki who is facing trials for
falsification of his asset declaration as well as money laundering.