Court orders Customs to pay N100m compensation to family of farmer killed by stray bullet

Court orders Customs to pay N100m compensation to family of farmer killed by stray bullet

Story from Kasim Isa MUHAMMAD

The Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division, has ordered the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to pay N100 million in damages for the death of a farmer named Abdulrahman Sani, who was killed by a stray bullet fired by Customs operatives while pursuing smugglers.

The incident occurred on November 10, 2020, when Abdulrahman was on his way to his farm.

Despite attempts to negotiate compensation with the NCS, the family of the deceased was dissatisfied with the outcome and decided to seek justice in court.

The Court of Appeal upheld the earlier ruling of the High Court, affirming the N100 million damages against the NCS.

The Court declared that Abdulrahman’s killing was unlawful and a violation of his fundamental right to life as guaranteed by Section 33 Subsection 1 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.

As part of the judgment, the NCS was ordered to issue a written public apology for the violation of the deceased’s rights.

Malam Muhammad Sani, the father of the deceased, expressed satisfaction with the judgment, stating that it brought some comfort despite the pain of losing his child.

He praised the Nigerian judicial system, the judges, and the lawyers involved for their efforts in ensuring justice was served and protecting vulnerable and less privileged individuals like his family.