The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has awarded N70 million against the Nigerian police for firing a stray bullet that killed a nursing mother in a landmark judgement that caps over 20 years of litigation.

Justice G. Olotu, on Friday, ordered the police to pay N10 million as general damages, N50 million as punitive damages and N10 million litigation to a 24-year-old man whose mother was fatally shot in 2000.

In that year, Margaret Achalla was bathing her baby in the Utako area of Abuja when she was struck by a stray bullet fired by a uniformed police officer. She slumped and began to bleed.

Rather than take the victim to a hospital, the officers fled, leaving her to bleed to death.

Rights lawyer and activist Abubakar Marshal of Falana and Falana Chambers took on the case in 2001 and sued the police to pay for damages.

The suit was backed with hard evidence, including the extracted bullet, pictures of the leg that was shot, x-ray report, medical reports and hospital invoices, all of which were contained in the proof of claim.

Due to the overwhelming evidence presented before the Court, Mr Olotu ruled that Ms Achalla’s death was unlawful and unconstitutional.

Consequently, he awarded a total of N70 million against the police; N10 million as general damages, N50 million as punitive damages and N10 million as cost of litigation.

Furthermore, he ordered that the police pay five per cent interest until the damages were fully liquidated.