A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered Rev. Onokogu Hezekiah, also known as Daddy Hezekiah and founder of Living Christ Mission, to pay N10 million in damages to Polaris Bank manager Hezekiah Duru for violating his fundamental human rights.
Daddy Hezekiah had accused Duru of financial misappropriation and breach of trust, resulting in Duru’s arrest and detention by the police.
However, Justice D. Okorowo ruled that the arrest and detention were unlawful, as the allegations were already under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In case FHC/ABJ/CS/3/2024, Justice Okorowo declared that the actions taken against Duru infringed upon his rights to personal liberty, fair hearing, and dignity as protected by the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The court also invalidated the detention warrant obtained from the Nasarawa State Magistrate Court.
The judgment ordered the immediate release of Duru from police custody and issued an injunction preventing further violations of his rights by the police.
The court also awarded N10 million in damages against Rev. Hezekiah and the Nigerian police.
