Nigeria, May 18 -- The ECOWAS Court of Justice has declared Ghana's prolonged detention of nine separatists as unlawful.

Describing the detention as arbitrary, the court ordered the government of Ghana in its judgment on Friday to pay $2,500 each to the nine individuals, who are members of separatist organisation Homeland Study Group Foundation (HSGF), as compensation for the violation of their rights.

The case, filed in 2021, was brought by the HSGF and 30 individuals who identified themselves as ECOWAS citizens.

In suit number ECW/CCJ/APP/12/24, the applicants challenged their arrest and detention under Ghana's 1976 Prohibited Organisations Decree.

The Ghanaian government arrested the applicants during a crackdown on the group on 8 ...