The children of pro-democracy campaigner, late Mrs Kudirat Abiola, have dragged the Muhammadu Buhari administration to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice in Abuja over the murder of their mother in June 1996.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that Kudirat is the wife of the late business mogul and respected politician, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola.
Khafila Abiola, Moriam Abiola, and Hadi Abiola are suing Buhari on behalf of their siblings.
In the suit number ECW/CCJ/APP/62/2022 filed on their behalf by their lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), the children are challenging the “violation of the fundamental human rights to life and dignity of human person of the late Mrs Abiola.”
The Plaintiffs are arguing that: “the failure or refusal of the Defendant to protect the life of Late Alhaja Kudirat Abiola in the Republic of Nigeria amounts to a violation of Articles 1,4,5,18 and 23 of the African Charter.”
According to the Plaintiffs, “The combined effect of the said provisions of the African Charter and the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria is that states will be held responsible if they fail to act with due diligence to prevent violations of the rights or actively involved act which amount to the violation of the plaintiff right (as in this case), and for providing adequate compensation.”
The Plaintiffs are also arguing that, “under the combined provisions of Articles 1, 4 and 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to which Federal Republic of Nigeria is a signatory, the Respondent has infringed on the right of the deceased to life, dignity of her person and security.”
Part of the demands of the plaintiffs at the Community Court is an order directing the defendant to pay the sum of $10 million to the applicants as compensation for the unlawful killing of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
