News
ECOWAS Court Dismisses Suits On Kudirat Abiola’s Assassination
The Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS, has dismissed a case filed against the Federal Government of Nigeria on the assassination of the late Mrs. Kudirat Abiola, the wife of the winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election, M.K.O Abiola.
The suit was filed by three members of the Abiola’s family, Khalifa Abiola, Moriam Abiola and Hadi Abiola, who alleged Kudirat’s rights violations with her was assassinated in 1996 while advocating her husband’s release from detention.
According to the applicants, the Nigerian government violated Kudirat’s fundamental human rights by failing to hold her killers accountable, despite a commission of Inquiry identifying a key suspect, Sergeant Barnabas Jebila.
In its ruling delivered on Friday, the Judge Rapporteur, Justice Edward Amoako Asante, stated that the applicants lacked the legal capacity to sue, as they failed to establish a direct relationship with Kudirat or present any legal mandate to act on behalf of her estate.
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In a statement sent to our correspondent through email, the case with suit number ECW/CCJ/APP/62/22, the ECOWAS court rejected Nigeria’s objections regarding its jurisdiction, affirming its competence to hear cases involving alleged human rights violations by member states.
However, the court clarified that its role does not involve acting as an appellate body over national court rulings.
“The Court also dismissed the objections of the Respondent, Federal Republic of Nigeria, challenging its competence to determine the matter which it described as beyond the scope of Article 9 of the Protocol of the Court. It equally dismissed the Respondent’s submissions that the Applicants were requesting the Court to determine a case already decided by its national court and that the case had exceeded the time limit allowed for legal action.
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“However, the Court noted that the applicants, suing on behalf of themselves and the estate of Mrs Kudirat Abiola, had not demonstrated legal capacity to sue on behalf of late Mrs Kudirat Abiola’s estate.
“Consequently, the Court ruled the case as inadmissible for lack of legal capacity of the Applicants to sue on behalf of themselves and late Mrs Kudirat Abiola in this matter.
“The ruling was delivered by a panel of judges, including Hon. Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma (Presiding), Hon. Justice Gberi-bè Ouattara (Member), and Hon. Justice Edward Amoako Asante (Judge Rapporteur),” the statement stated.
News
Edo NLC Crisis: Caretaker Committee Drags Rival Exco, Govt To Court
The division in the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), took a new dimension on Wednesday as Prof. Monday Monday Lewis Igbafen-led caretaker committee approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Benin Judicial Division, seeking to affirm its authority and restrain a rival executive from parading itself as the council’s leadership.
Joined in the suit are the Edo State Government, the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.
In a suit marked: NICN/BEN/12/2026, and filed before the court in Benin, the claimant, Igbafen, acting for himself and on behalf of the NLC Caretaker Committee in Edo State, is challenging the continued occupation of the union’s secretariat and control of its assets by members of the Bernard Egwakhide-led factional State Executive Council.
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The claimants are asking the court to declare that the caretaker committee (Igbafen-led faction), constituted on August 11, 2025, by the NLC national leadership, remains the only lawful authority to administer the affairs of the Edo State Council pending fresh elections.
They further seek a declaration that the continued occupation of the NLC secretariat located at No. 1 Teboga Road, Benin City, as well as the retention of union assets, financial records, and official instruments by the defendants, is illegal and void.
The suit also prays for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from parading themselves as officials of the NLC Edo Council or interfering with the functions of the caretaker committee.
In addition, the claimants are seeking a mandatory order compelling the defendants to immediately hand over the secretariat, vehicles, financial documents, cheque books, and all other properties belonging to the union.
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The caretaker committee further urged the court to restrain the state government and its officials from interfering in the internal affairs of the union, alleging undue support for the dissolved executive.
The claimants further demand N50 million as general and exemplary damages against the defendants for alleged unlawful usurpation of office and acts prejudicial to the administration of the council.
According to court documents made available to our correspondent, the crisis followed the dissolution of the Edo State Council by the NLC National Executive Council on February 27, 2025, over allegations of misconduct, anti-union activities, and constitutional violations.
However, the matter has yet to be assigned a hearing date.
News
Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru
Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.
Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.
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La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.
The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.
The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.
He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.
News
Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses
The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.
DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.
A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.
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“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.
“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.
“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.
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