The Indigenous People of Biafra has said it is disappointed with the decision of the ECOWAS Court of Justice
- The court had deferred ruling on an application by Nnamdi Kanu against the federal government of Nigeria
- The IPOB said it has determined that the ECOWAS Court of Justice lacks the courage to deliver justice dispassionately
The
Economic Community of West African states court of Justice has deferred
the ruling on a matter between the leader of the Indigenous People of
Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu and the Nigerian government.
ECOWAS
court in a letter dated January 18, said adjourned a breach of
fundamental human rights application made against the Nigerian
government by Nnamdi Kanu.
The court said: “Notice is hereby given that this application has been adjourned for ruling to the 7th day of March, 2017 at 10 o’clock.”
“Please
note that the earlier date of 9th February, 2017, has been deffered, at
the instance of the court to the 7th day of March, 2017, in the
forenoon and will be delivered on that day if the business of the court
permits or otherwise on some adjourned day of which you may not receive
further notice,” the ECOWAS court’s letter said.
But in its reaction the IPOB has said it is disappointed by the action of the regional court.
A
statement by the groups’ spokesperson Powerful Emma said the IPOB has
determined that the ECOWAS Court of Justice lacks the courage to deliver
justice dispassionately.
Emma said: “According
to information from its website, the ECCJ “has jurisdiction to
determine cases of violation of human rights that occur in any member
state.”
Emma said these applies to
treaties, conventions, protocols, and regulations adopted by ECOWAS as
well as Article 38 of the Statute of International Court of Justice.
He further asked: “Then
why is the ECCJ afraid to give decisive judgment on the case of Nnamdi
Kanu versus Federal Government of Nigeria? Why are the Judges postponing
the ruling date in perpetuity, if they have nothing to hide?”
He said: “Recall that on March
2nd, 2016, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu filed a lawsuit at the ECCJ against the
Federal Republic of Nigeria on the issue of violations of his
fundamental human rights and sought enforcement of same rights as well
as compensations from the Federal Republic of Nigeria. At the October
sitting of the ECCJ, the case was adjourned to November 8, 2016.
“When
the case came up on November 8, the presiding Judge, Micha Wright,
again adjourned it to February 9th, 2017 for Ruling. On the 17th of
January 2017 and without waiting for the February 9th, 2017 date to
come, the ECCJ again adjourned the date of the Ruling to March 7, 2017,
with a caveat that even the March date is subject to further
adjournments," the IPOB said.
We
ask the ECCJ the following questions; why will it take more than one
year to hear and deliver judgment on a simple case of violation of
fundamental human rights?
“Why the multiple adjournments at the stage of delivering judgment?
“How
come the cases of Sambo Dasuki and Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky which
bothered on the same fundamental human rights violation, were started
and concluded within six months?
“Is it because Nnamdi Kanu is a Christian or is it because he is from Biafraland and not from the Northern part of Nigeria?
Emma also said that such attidude from the court is one of the reason the IPOB is agitating for the freedom of Biafra.
He
said: Unlike the shenanigans going on both at the ECCJ and in Nigerian
courts, the Biafran judicial system will be comparable to what obtains
in the Western world.”
Stating that
the regional court has failed in its responsibility to deliver justice,
Emma further said the IPOB does not except justice from the court
anymore.
“We assert that there is
absolutely no reason for the ECCJ to dilly-dally in making a Ruling
expeditiously in the case of violations of fundamental human rights
instituted against Nigeria since March 2016.
“The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) wish to express their utter dismay and disappointment with the ECCJ.
“We
believe that the ECCJ lacks the courage and impartial mindset needed to
deliver justice promptly in the case instituted by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,
hence the ECCJ resorted to adjournments after adjournments,” Emma added.
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