The Lagos State Ministry of Justice has explained why the state government is appealing the Federal High Court judgment that awarded N5 million in compensation to driver Adedotun Clement, who was allegedly assaulted during the #EndSARS memorial rally. In a statement on Saturday, the ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Grace Alo, said that during the hearing the state government opposed the applicant’s claims on both legal and factual grounds.
Adedotun’s counsel, Inibehe Effiong, had claimed on Friday that the Lagos government was rejecting the High Court’s judgment due to a “lack of evidence for the torture.” According to the lawyer, Adedotun was carrying a passenger to Lagos Mainland when he encountered a gridlock at the Lekki Toll‑Gate during a protest marking the first anniversary of EndSARS. He alleged that officers of the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency and policemen tortured and pepper‑sprayed him. On 14 March 2023, the court ordered the state government to pay N5 million as compensation for the alleged torture on 20 October 2021 at the Lekki Toll‑Gate.
The ministry clarified that, as is customary when a judgment is delivered against the state, the counsel handling the case is entitled to file an appeal—a right provided by the Constitution—along with an application to stay execution of the judgment to protect the state’s legal rights. Filing the appeal and seeking a stay does not prevent the Ministry of Justice, upon receiving a copy of the judgment, from further reviewing the matter and deciding whether to proceed with or withdraw the appeal.
The ministry said the decision‑making process is underway and that once a definitive position is taken, the public will be notified. “The state government reassures the public that in carrying out its duties, it will continue to be guided by the rule of law,” Alo added.
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