Headline

Nigeria Leads As ECOWAS Members Default On 150 Judgments

Published

1 year ago

March 15, 2024

A total of 150 judgments by the Economic Community of West African States Court of Justice have yet to be obeyed or enforced by member countries, according to The PUNCH.

A record of the status of the judgment obtained from the court’s registry indicated that all ECOWAS countries and some of its institutions have outstanding judgments to enforce.

According to the record, as of January 31, 2024, Nigeria topped the list with the highest number of unenforced judgments at 43, followed by the Republic of Togo with 23, and Guinea ranking third with 14.

Others are Mali with 11; the Republic of Niger has nine; Senegal, eight; Sierra Leone, seven; and Cote D’Ivoire with six.

The Gambia has yet to enforce five; Benin Republic, Liberia, and Burkina Faso have four unenforced judgments each. Ghana has three, while Cabo Verde and Guinea Bissau have one each.

The ECOWAS commission has a total of five judgments yet to be enforced.

In addition, the judgments given in the case between Petrostar Nigeria vs Blackberry Nigeria Ltd and EBID vs Cross River State have not been enforced.

On the list of decisions enforced as of January 31, 2024, a total of 34 judgments had been implemented.

Among the 34, Nigeria has a total of eight enforced judgments which included five from the Registered Trustees of Socio-Economic and Accountability Project.

In one of the cases marked: ECW/CCJ/APP/10/10,

SERAP sued the FG over the security forces’ shooting of peaceful protesters in Bundu Ama, Port Harcourt in 2009.

The ECOWAS court ruled that the Nigerian government breached its obligation to protect and respect the right to peaceful association and assembly, awarding a total of N11m in damages.

Mali has enforced four; Niger, three; The Gambia, two; Burkina Faso, Sierra Lone and Liberia have implemented judgment one each.

ECOWAS commission has implemented seven while the ECOWAS parliament has one.

Enforcement of the judgments in member states has been one of the major challenges confronting the ECOWAS Court of Justice.

Recently, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), called on the court to refrain from issuing orders and judgments that are impossible to enforce.

He also noted that the court must pay attention to the peculiarities of countries in the regional bloc.

However, human rights lawyer and a former President of the West African Bar Association, Femi Falana, (SAN), disagreed with the AGF, saying, “With respect to the Honourable Attorney-General, not all ECOWAS member states disobey the judgments of the ECOWAS Court like Nigeria.”

Falana linked the coups in some West African countries to disregard for orders from domestic and regional courts.

He said, “The hostile disposition of African states to courts is essentially the same. African governments, including Nigeria, are yet to move away from the era of military and apartheid regimes when martial law was the order of the day. The rule of law is substituted for the rule of rulers. Not only are orders of courts disregarded, but judges who rule against governments are harassed by security forces. The same attitude has been extended to regional and international courts.”

Meanwhile, the President, ECOWAS Judicial Council, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, after a recent closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House, said two committees had been inaugurated to probe disobedience by member states.

“We have set up two committees; one to look into the rules and the other to look into the position or the status of the enforcement of judgments of the community court,” Justice Ariwoola said.

Headline

Fire Guts Nigerian Pilgrims’ Hotel In Makkah

Published

6 hours ago

June 7, 2025

Editor

The Imaratus Sanan Hotel on Shari Mansur Street in Makkah, which accommodates about 484 Nigerian pilgrims, was today gutted by fire while the pilgrims and others from around the world were at Mina performing their Hajj rites.

Nigerian pilgrims, like others globally, had departed Makkah for Mina — also known as Tent City — on Wednesday for the five-day Hajj observance. At the time of the fire, the pilgrims were on the second day of the stoning ritual at Jamarat.

The fire guts hotel in Makkah incident, according to a statement made available to Sunday Tribune by the Assistant Director, Information and Publication, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Fatima Sanda Usara, occurred around 12 noon Saudi Arabian time (10 a.m. Nigerian time) on Saturday, June 7, 2025.

Usara disclosed that the affected pilgrims were from six Nigerian private tour operator companies and confirmed that no lives were lost in the fire.

“The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) regrets to inform the public of a fire incident that occurred earlier today, Saturday, 7th June 2025, around 12:00 noon (KSA time), at one of the hotels accommodating Nigerian pilgrims on Shari Mansur Street in Makkah,” she said.

“The affected hotel, Imaratus Sanan, was hosting about 484 pilgrims from six Nigerian private tour operator companies. Thankfully, no lives were lost, and all pilgrims are safely in Mina. Immediate emergency response by Saudi authorities and the hotel management helped to contain the fire swiftly and prevent it from spreading throughout the building,” she added.

NAHCON Chairman/CEO, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, led a delegation to the site of the incident to assess the extent of the damage and ensure the welfare of the pilgrims.

“Following the incident, the Chairman/CEO of NAHCON, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, alongside Commissioner for Policy, Personnel Management and Finance, Alhaji Aliu Abdulrazak, and Deputy Makkah Coordinator, Director Alidu Shutti, promptly visited the location to evaluate the situation and ensure that the welfare of the affected pilgrims is prioritized,” the statement read.

During the visit, Professor Usman expressed concern and ordered the immediate relocation of the affected pilgrims to a new hotel. He assured them that the commission would provide every possible support to cushion the impact of the incident.

“He thanked Almighty Allah that no life was lost in this unfortunate incident and promised that NAHCON would collaborate with the affected tour operators to ensure the smooth resettlement of the pilgrims,” Usara stated.

The Chairman and his team have since inspected the new accommodation, and arrangements for the pilgrims’ resettlement have been finalized.

She further noted that both Professor Usman and Commissioner Abdulrazak commended the prompt response of Saudi emergency services and the cooperation of the hotel staff in controlling the situation.

Reports reaching Sunday Tribune indicate that the fire guts hotel in Makkah caused considerable structural damage, but NAHCON has secured alternative accommodation where the pilgrims will be housed upon their return to Makkah on Sunday.

Headline

Elon Musk Deletes Post Claiming Trump Was ‘In The Epstein Files’

Published

6 hours ago

June 7, 2025

Editor

Elon Musk has deleted a controversial tweet in which he claimed—without offering evidence—that US President Donald Trump appeared in documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Tesla and SpaceX founder’s post, made on Thursday, alleged that Trump was named in the Epstein files. The accusation, unsubstantiated at the time, quickly ignited a political firestorm.

Responding to the claims in an interview with ABC News, Trump lashed out at the billionaire, saying Musk had “lost his mind.”

The clash marks a dramatic escalation in tensions between the two once-close allies.

It follows Musk’s suggestion of launching a new political faction in the United States, tentatively dubbed the “American Party.”

The idea was floated in a poll to his 220 million followers on X (formerly Twitter), where 80 per cent of respondents supported the proposal.

“This is fate,” Musk commented.

Musk’s shift comes as he fiercely criticised the president’s flagship economic proposal, which he labelled the “Big, Beautiful Bill.”

He warned the policy could explode the national debt by $2.4 trillion (£1.8 trillion), undermining his own reform work while leading the now-defunct Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Musk has even called for Trump’s impeachment, suggesting he be replaced by Vice President JD Vance—a bold move just days after stepping down from DOGE.

Trump dismissed the criticism, claiming Musk’s opposition stemmed from cuts to electric vehicle incentives included in the bill.

He added that a full review of Musk’s substantial federal contracts, including $22 billion (£16.2 billion) in agreements with SpaceX, may now be necessary.

In a symbolic jab, sources say the president is considering selling a Tesla vehicle he previously purchased.

The public feud has already had financial consequences.

Tesla shares tumbled 14.3 per cent on Thursday, wiping out approximately $150 billion (£111 billion) in market value.

The high-profile rift continues to develop amid rising tensions in US politics and speculation about third-party movements ahead of the next presidential election.

(THE STANDARD)

Headline

US: Over 100 Dogs Rescued From Suspected ‘Puppy Mill’ In North Carolina

Published

6 hours ago

June 7, 2025

Editor

Over 100 dogs have been rescued from what appears to be a puppy mill operating out of a home in North Carolina, according to the SPCA of Wake County.

The shelter said the dogs were kept in “egregious conditions,” and many are now receiving treatment for severe health issues.

“Many of the dogs are being treated for skin and dental issues,” the SPCA reported in a social media post on Friday. They also described dogs with “matted dirty fur” coming off in “heaps.”

“This is the biggest moment in these dogs’ lives, and we are feeling so grateful to be a part of their healing,” the shelter added.

The rescue operation took place on Thursday in coordination with Raleigh Animal Control.

“They were housed in egregious conditions, surrounded by their own waste, packed 5 or 6 to a cage and stacked floor to ceiling, or free roaming in cramped quarters and filth,” the SPCA stated.

Following their removal, the dogs were given immediate care and a much-needed break from the conditions they were trapped in.

“They’ve been getting the spa day of their lives — and their first taste of fresh air, possibly ever,” the organization said.

Among the rescued animals were numerous mother dogs nursing their puppies.

Nineteen of the dogs are not currently in the shelter’s direct care, but assessments and treatment are ongoing.

To support the massive rescue and rehabilitation effort, Care First Animal Hospital has pledged to match donations up to $150,000 in veterinary services.

Photos shared by the SPCA on Facebook show the rescued dogs and puppies beginning their journey toward recovery, marking a hopeful turn after enduring horrific neglect.

(ABC News)