Court Orders Nigerian Police To Pay Family N100m Over Death Of Detainee

Late Patricia Onyeabo and daughter, Amaka

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos south west Nigeria today ordered the Nigerian Police Force to pay N100 million compensation to the family of a female lawyer Patricia Onyeabo who died in Police custody due to lack of medical care.

The judgement of the court was sequel to the N1billion suit filed by Patricia’s daughter, Miss Amaka Onyeabo, also a lawyer, against the Inspector-General of Police, (IGP). Late Mrs. Onyeabo, before her death on 16 May 16 2014, was the Legal Adviser/Secretary to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).

Joined as co- respondents in the suit were the Lagos state Commissioner of Police and Assistant
Commissioner of Police, Nigerian Railway Corporation headquarters.

Amaka in an affidavit filed by her Lawyer, Chief Anthony Idigbe, SAN asked for declarations that the unsubstantiated indictment in a letter, leading to the harassment, detention, intimidation, humiliation, and restriction of movement of her late mother since April 25, 2014, until her death on May 16, 2014, by the respondents was frivolous, vindictive, wicked, smacked of gross impunity, and was unlawful, unconstitutional and a breach of the fundamental rights of the deceased.