The Federal High Court in Lagos has awarded more than N104 million in damages against the Nigerian Navy and the Attorney-General of the Federation, over the shooting and stabbing of a Lagos-based medical doctor, Dr Owen Edo-Ojo.
Delivering judgement in Suit No: FHC/L/CS/1093/2022, Justice Yellim Bogoro described the conduct of the naval personnel involved in the March 19, 2022 attack in Lekki as “uncivilised and savage”, holding that the assault violated the Applicant’s constitutional rights to dignity and life.
Dr Edo-Ojo had approached the court under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, seeking declarations and damages over an incident that allegedly left him with multiple gunshot and stab wounds inflicted by naval ratings.
According to the Applicant, the incident occurred on Gbangala Street, Ikate-Elegushi, Lekki, after he attempted to park his vehicle near a property allegedly occupied by a senior naval officer, leading to a confrontation with a naval rating dressed in mufti. The disagreement reportedly escalated into a violent assault during which the doctor was beaten, stabbed and dispossessed of valuables including his iPhone, wristwatch, gold bracelet and footwear.
The court further heard that after the matter was reported at Ilasan Police Station, one of the naval ratings later emerged with an assault rifle and allegedly opened fire on the doctor and accompanying policemen.
Medical evidence tendered before the court showed that the Applicant sustained gunshot injuries to his groin and thigh, with one bullet surgically removed, while another remained lodged near critical blood vessels due to the risks involved in extraction.
In its judgment, the court ordered the Nigerian Navy and the Attorney-General of the Federation to pay N3.9 million as special damages, N100 million as aggravated damages, publish public apologies in two national newspapers and across their media platforms, and also awarded N250,000 as cost of the action.
