In a move that has sparked outrage and rekindled national debate over judicial ethics and human rights, a Magistrate Court in Abuja on Wednesday handed down a controversial sentence of 15 strokes of public flogging to a young man accused of fighting a commercial sex worker.
Presiding over the case at the Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 6, Magistrate Farida Ibrahim delivered the punishment based solely on police testimony, raising alarms over due process violations and constitutional safeguards.
According to court proceedings, the unnamed defendant allegedly admitted during police interrogation to engaging in a physical altercation with a sex worker. He was arrested by officers and brought before the court without legal representation. No witnesses were presented, and no further corroborating evidence was introduced—only his alleged confession under custody.
Magistrate Ibrahim ruled that the man’s actions amounted to public disturbance, justifying the corporal punishment. The flogging was reportedly administered in public view, echoing scenes from less progressive legal systems and igniting condemnation from legal experts and rights groups.
Human rights advocates argue that the punishment starkly violates Section 34(1)(a) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, which unequivocally states: “No person shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment.” Legal analysts say the sentence not only fails the test of proportionality but also exposes systemic lapses in Nigeria’s judicial process—particularly the denial of legal counsel and the reliance on unverified police statements.
“This case is a classic breach of fair hearing and human dignity. Public flogging is both archaic and unconstitutional,” said Ayo Adebayo, a legal analyst and human rights advocate. “Such rulings reinforce impunity and erode public confidence in our legal system.”
The judgment has drawn comparisons with a similar high-profile case from Kano State in 2022, where two TikTok content creators were sentenced by Magistrate Aminu Gabari to 20 strokes of the cane, along with 30 days of community service, for allegedly defaming then-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje. The TikTokers were compelled to sweep court premises, pay fines, and issue a public apology—all within hours of their sentencing.
The Abuja incident has prompted renewed calls from organizations like Amnesty International for sweeping reform in Nigeria’s lower courts, especially in cases involving vulnerable or unrepresented individuals.
“There must be accountability in the justice system. No court should act as both accuser and executioner,” Amnesty International Nigeria posted on its X (formerly Twitter) handle. “Public flogging is degrading and should have no place in a constitutional democracy.”
As the dust settles on this disturbing case, civil society organizations are demanding an investigation into the judicial conduct of Magistrate Ibrahim and calling for the immediate review—and possible overturn—of the sentence. Meanwhile, the young man remains unnamed, his dignity battered, and his rights questioned in a court of law that was supposed to protect them.
PIONEER NEWS 