The Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ruled on Friday regarding a case involving Khalifa Abiola and two others against the Federal Government of Nigeria, centered on alleged human rights violations related to the late Mrs.kudirat Abiola
In a judgment delivered by the Judge Rapporteur, Hon. Justice Edward Amoako Asante, the Court deemed the case inadmissible, citing that the applicants failed to demonstrate a direct relationship with the deceased or provide any legal authority to act as indirect victims on behalf of her estate.
Furthermore, the Court rejected the objections raised by the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which questioned its jurisdiction over the matter, asserting that it fell outside the parameters of Article 9 of the Court’s Protocol.
The Court also dismissed the respondent’s claims that the applicants sought to revisit a case already adjudicated by a national court and that the matter had surpassed the permissible timeframe for legal proceedings.
The case, registered under suit number ECW/CCJ/APP/62/22, was initiated by the applicants—Khalifa Abiola, Moriam Abiola, and Hadi Abiola—who sought to represent themselves and the estate of the late Kudirat, whom they alleged was murdered by gunmen in Nigeria.
The applicants asserted that Kudirat was the spouse of Chief MKO Abiola, a prominent Nigerian politician who won the presidential election in June 1993 but was prevented from taking office by the military regime led by General Ibrahim Babangida.
They argued that Chief Abiola was subsequently arrested, charged with treason, and imprisoned without trial in solitary confinement.
