Headline

ECOWAS Awards N20m Damages Against FG Over Bizman’s Death In EFCC Custody

Published

4 years ago

May 25, 2022

Editor

The Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States has found the Federal Government liable for the death of a businessman, Desmond Nunugwo, in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in April 2016.

The court, therefore, directed the FG to pay N20m compensation to the deceased’s family.

The 29-page judgment made available to PUNCH Metro on Tuesday was handed down by Justice Edward Asante, who presided over the case and was assisted by Justices Dupe Atoki and Januaria Costa, on March 21, 2022.

By a 2005 ECOWAS Supplemental Protocol, the CCJ has jurisdiction to hear human rights cases and disputes between individuals and their own member states.

Nunugwo was taken into custody by EFCC operatives in Abuja on April 16, 2016, on allegations of defrauding a complainant of N91m.

Barely 24 hours later, he was said to have taken ill and rushed to a hospital, where he died.

The deceased’s family had accused the anti-graft agency then headed by Ibrahim Magu, a retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, of killing Nunugwo, who was reportedly healthy before his arrest.

But the commission failed to respond to the allegations, prompting the deceased’s siblings, Rose Breivigel and Elizabeth Baumerich, to file an action against the EFCC in March 2019.

Based on the reports of extra-judicial killings in the country, the applicants claimed their brother, who was survived by a wife and four children, was tortured to death.

The case was filed by their lawyers, Oludayo Fagbemi and Holger Hermbach, while Maimuna Shiru represented the FG.

Before filing the suit, the ECOWAS court noted that the applicants reported the death of their brother to the authorities, which failed to investigate the incident.

Moreover, they also lodged a complaint with the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights in February 2017.

Justice Asante noted that in April 2018, an autopsy was carried out without the knowledge of Nunugwo’s family, adding that the result cited hypertension as the cause of death, but provided no additional explanation.

He declared that Nunugwo’s right to life under Article 4 of the African Charter was violated and that the respondent (FG) also breached its duty to investigate this under the same charter.

Asante said, “The court sitting in public after hearing both parties dismissed the allegation of violation of Mr Nunugwo’s right to freedom from torture under Article 5 of the African Charter; dismisses the allegation of the applicant’s right to presumption of innocence under Article 7 of the Charter was violated by the respondent and orders the respondent to pay the lump sum of N20m to the family of Mr Nunugwo as compensation for all the prejudice and damages suffered as a result of his death in violation of Article 4 of the African Charter.”

The EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, had yet to react to the judgment as of the time of filing this report as he did not respond to a request for comment.

But speaking on the development, a rights activist, Olaseni Shalom, said the authorities must follow due process in all their actions, noting that the constitution did not permit torture of suspects.

“The judgment is a victory for justice. I am not encouraging fraud; but whatever we are doing as a country, we must follow due process. We have seen cases where due process was ignored while seeking justice, but that is not justice at all. It is a wake-up call for our law enforcement agencies to always respect human rights,” said Shalom, who is the Executive Director, United Global Resolve for Peace.

PUNCH

Headline

Six-year-old Nigerian Girl Dies After Fall From Apartment In Canada

Published

15 hours ago

May 8, 2026

Editor

A six-year-old Nigerian girl has died after falling from a high-rise residential building in Toronto, Canada, in a tragic incident that has left the community in shock.

Reports indicate that her mother was in Nigeria at the time of the incident.

The incident occurred at an apartment complex on Chalkfarm Drive in North York, close to Jane Street, at about 8:15 p.m.

Toronto Police Service said officers responded to a report described as “unknown trouble” and later found the child unresponsive on the ground outside the building.

Residents of the building described the girl as cheerful and familiar within the community, saying her death had deeply unsettled neighbours.

One resident told CP24 that the child was regularly seen playing around the premises.

“She used to come here all the time and play… she was a lively kid. It’s very, very sad,” the neighbour said.

Another resident said the news had been devastating for people living in the building, adding that the girl was a familiar face during daily routines such as school runs.

“It’s crazy that I will never see this child again. I see her every morning. It’s heartbreaking,” the resident said.

According to neighbours, the girl had been staying with a family friend who lives on the top floor of the building while her mother was away in Nigeria.

Some residents also questioned how the incident occurred, noting that the building is fitted with window safety features designed to prevent full opening.

“To be fair, they do have precautions on these windows to make sure these things don’t happen,” one resident said.

Another added that the windows are secured and cannot be fully opened, further adding to uncertainty surrounding the circumstances.

The property management company, Greenwin, which manages the building at 200 Chalkfarm Drive, described the incident as “deeply saddening,” adding that its thoughts are with the child’s family.

The company confirmed that emergency responders attended the scene promptly and said it is fully cooperating with investigators.

It declined to comment on the condition or inspection history of the windows, citing an ongoing investigation.

Police in Toronto said the case is not being treated as suspicious at this stage, though investigations are continuing pending autopsy results.

Headline

US Govt Finally Releases Files On UFOs, Alien Life

Published

15 hours ago

May 8, 2026

Editor

President Donald Trump’s administration has released a batch of previously unseen files, videos and photographs on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, UAP.

The government described the development as part of a push for greater transparency on government-held information about extraterrestrial-related sightings.

According to Fox News, the White House said the materials, drawn from across multiple government agencies, have been made publicly accessible without security clearance requirements.

Officials said the release is intended to allow the public to review the information and draw their own conclusions.

“The latest UAP videos, photos, and original source documents from across the entire United States government are all in one place,” the White House said, adding that past administrations had sought to limit public disclosure.

The release is part of a programme identified as the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters, PURSUE, which officials say will continue with further disclosures.

Among the initial materials are images reportedly linked to Apollo 12 and Apollo 17 space missions, including a photograph from the lunar surface showing three small dots in the sky.

The release also includes transcripts of communications from Apollo 17, in which crew members described observing bright, fast-moving particles or fragments outside their spacecraft.

In one exchange, astronauts described seeing “very bright particles” and “jagged, angular fragments” while in orbit, comparing the appearance to fireworks.

Trump previously said he would support declassifying government files related to UFOs and UAPs, following renewed public interest in the subject.

He had earlier directed federal agencies to begin identifying and releasing relevant documents.

Headline

Strait Of Hormuz: Pakistan Thanks Trump For Pausing ‘Project Freedom’

Published

3 days ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday expressed gratitude to United States President Donald Trump for temporarily pausing ‘Project Freedom’, an initiative to secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement posted on X, Sharif thanked Trump for pausing the “Project Freedom” mission, praising him for his courageous leadership and timely announcement.

According to him, Trump’s decision was made in response to requests from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other brotherly countries.

He added that the pause would go a long way towards advancing regional peace, stability and reconciliation during the sensitive period.

“Pakistan remains firmly committed to supporting all efforts that promote restraint and a peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy.

“We are very hopeful that the current momentum will lead to a lasting agreement that secures durable peace and stability for the region and beyond,” Sharif said.