Court Awards ₦30M Against Marianne Ahmadu Ali For Locking Up Aide In Dog Cage

A High Court in Abuja has awarded N30 million against Mrs Marianne Ahmadu Ali, wife of a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmadu Ali, for the inhuman treatment she gave to her personal assistant, by locking her up in a dog cage for three days Ms. Deborah Longs Nanpon.

Justice Akanbi- Yusuf held that Ms. Deborah was unlawfully detained by the politician’s wife in a dehumanising condition.

Aside from monetary compensation of N30m but also ordered the Marianne to tender a public apology to her personal assistant in a national newspaper.

The case was supported by the Human Rights Radio and Television, Abuja with the services of lawyers from the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).

The wife of the Former PDP Chairman in April 2022 dehumanised her personal assistance by locking her up in dog cage for three days without food and water.



However, the matter got to Ordinary Ahmed Isah of the popular reality radio programme, Brekete Family, which is broadcast daily from Abuja on Human Rights Radio and Television.

Ordinary Ahmed Isah then requested the attention of FIDA and it immediately swung into action and sought the enforcement of the victim’s fundamental human rights as NAPTIP was not keen on prosecuting Mrs. Ali under the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 (VAPP Act).

FIDA had, in an originating motion filed on May 4, 2022, sought the sum of N500 million in damages and an apology in a national newspaper. The matter was conducted on behalf of FIDA by Ogechi Abu, Firstrate Attorneys and a member of the organisation. Responding to the judgment of the court, FIDA expressed gratitude to the court for doing justice to the case.

“FIDA is exceedingly glad and conveys its gratitude to the court, for the quick resolution of the matter as should be the case in the enforcement of fundamental human rights as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (Cap 10) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 (As Amended).”

FIDA, in its originating process, had sought the following reliefs: “a declaration that the detention of the applicant at the home of the first respondent by the first respondent between Sunday, March 20, 2022 and Tuesday, March 22, 2022 without a warrant, court order or legal justification is illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional and a flagrant violation of the applicant’s fundamental right to personal liberty guaranteed by Section 35(1) (a-f) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended) and Article 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (Cap 10) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 (As Amended).

“A declaration that the vicious beatings inflicted upon the applicant by the first, second and third respondents at the first respondent’s home on Sunday, March 20, 2022, and her subsequent confinement in the first respondent’s filthy dog’s cage