Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Governor of Lagos State, has disobeyed the ruling of the Federal High Court demading him to pay N5 million compensation to Clement Adedotun, an Uber driver who was assaulted in October 2021.
According to Inibehe Effiong, Adedotun's legal representative, the governor, through a notice of appeal signed by Dr. Babajide Martins, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Lagos State Ministry of Justice, stated that he would not obey the order as there was no evidence to back up Adedotun's claim of assault.
“The Lagos State Government has now filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal in Lagos against the judgment. The government said there was no evidence that the Uber driver was tortured,” he said.
Effiong, reacting to the appeal filed by the Lagos State Government, stated that his client was devastated by the news but was ready to follow through with the case at the Court of Appeal.
Appeal filed by the Lagos State Government. Source: Inibehe Effiong
“I'm not surprised by their decision not to obey a judgment that everyone knows is justifiable. Since they've chosen this infamous path, I will equally file a cross-appeal against the N5 million damages and ask the Court of Appeal to increase it significantly,” he said.
“The message derivable from this action is that Lagosians are back to the regime of the real Governor Sanwo-Olu that they know, and not the pretentious one who tried to project himself as a populist or respecter of human rights during the campaigns.”
On March 14, FIJ reported how the Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the Lagos State Government to compensate the assaulted driver and pay him N5 million as damages for the violation of his rights.
Adedotun was attacked by officers of the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Agency and policemen at the Lekki toll gate during the first anniversary of the #EndSARS protest. The officers sprayed pepper into his eyes and assaulted him physically.
