Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has filed a lawsuit against Oba Semiu Ogunjobi, the Olorile of Orile Ifo, Ogun State, seeking N200 million in damages over the alleged assault of Elder Areola Abraham Love.
The suit, filed on March 7, 2025, at the Ogun State High Court in Ota, aims to uphold the victim’s rights to dignity, freedom of movement, and life.
The case stems from a viral video in February 2025 showing Elder Love being assaulted by Oba Ogunjobi and others while kneeling on the roadside. The footage led to public outrage, resulting in the monarch’s six-month suspension and charges of assault against him.
Falana is demanding a public apology to Elder Love in prominent newspapers, including The Punch, Vanguard, and Nigerian Tribune.
He argues that the attack on January 21, 2025, violated the victim’s rights as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
In the legal documents, Falana asserts that the beating, kicking, and striking of Elder Love by Oba Ogunjobi and his agents were acts that endangered his life and constituted cruel and inhumane treatment. The suit calls for a declaration that these actions violated the applicant’s fundamental rights under Nigerian law.
Falana has also requested the court to order Oba Ogunjobi to pay N200 million in compensation and to issue an apology in the aforementioned newspapers.
