The #BringBackOurGirls campaign group on Thursday, at an Abuja High Court, won its case against a former Police Commissioner of Abuja, Joseph Mbu – now an assistant inspector general of police, AIG.
The group in June, filed a suit against Mr. Mbu following his announcement of a ban on their protests in the Nigerian capital.
The police headquarters reversed the ban imposed by its Abuja command less than 24 hours.
The protesters have been holding daily sit-ins since May to demand that government does more to free the over 250 girls kidnapped by the Boko Haram from the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State in April.
While over 50 of the girls have managed to escape, 219 are still with their abductors.
The judge, S.E Aladetoyinbo, in his ruling said the police did not have the right to ban protests.
Mr. Aladetoyinbo said while citizens were mandated to notify security agencies before protesting, they were not obliged to obtain permission from the police to stage protests.
He also overruled an initial objection that the group was not a legal entity – registered under the Cooperate Affairs Commission, CAC – that could file suits against the state.
The costs were awarded to the group.
The group had on June 12 during one of its court sessions, dropped its demand for N200 million as damages.
The demand was one of four reliefs sought by the group before the court.