The original inhabitants of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, have dragged the Federal Government of Nigeria to ECOWAS Court over “political, social, and economic developmental deprivation and marginalization”.
The inhabitants lamented “continuous evacuation, demolitions of indigenous peoples of FCT Natives Houses, displacement of some indigenous communities of FCT original natives, grabs of their ancestral lands without legally due payments of adequate compensation or adequate resettlement.”
They also raised “issues of land-grab, demolition of natives houses illegally, illegal arrest on the processes of Demolition, ecological degradation/ environmental remediation, non-development of satellite towns, marginalization in appointments, non- compensation of compulsorily acquired lands, massive sacking of whole villages for the appropriation of their landed/ natural resources by selfish politicians and their cronies in government”.
The inhabitants, therefore, sought certain order/reliefs including:
– A DECLARATION that the applicants, as law abiding citizens, are entitle to right to life, freedom of movement, freedom of Association, right to human dignity, right to integrity of their person, right to the security of their person, right not to be discriminated in their society, and Right to guarantee their state status as a citizen of Nigeria FCT Abuja.
– A DECLARATION that the applicants members who lost their lives, suffer illegal arrest, demolitions of their respective Houses in the FCT Abuja on the continuous violation of their Fundamental Rights are entitle to a compensation to the sum of (2 trillion Naira only) which is general damage cause by the government, during recent past led administration of president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Administration, and payment of outstanding compensation Balance due to indigene of FCT made by government.
Attached below is the court document:
IN THE COMMUNITY COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES HOLDEN IN ABUJA
Suit No.:___________________2016
BETWEEN:
1. THE REGISTERED TRUSTEES OF ORIGINAL INHABITANTS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION OF FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY ABUJA, FCT NIGERIA APPLICANTS/PLAINTIFFS
2. PASTOR DANLADI JEJI (PRESIDENT ORIGINAL INHABITANT DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (OIDA) FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY FCT ABUJA NIGERIA
AND
1. GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
2. ATTORNEY GENERAL OF FEDERATION AND MINISTER OF RESPONDENTS/DEFENDANTS JUSTICE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
APPLICATION BROUGHT PURSUANT TO:
(A) ARTICLES 24, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 17, (2) (3), 18(2), 19, 20,21,22,24,25,27,29(7),
45,(3),60,61 OF AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES RIGHTS RATIFIED BY THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT AND ENCAPSULATED AS CAP A9 LAWS OF FEDERATION OF NIGERIA, 2004.
(B) ARTICLES 1,2,5,6,7,8,15(1)&(2), 17(1)&(2) 21(1)(2)(3), 27(1)(2), 29(1)(2)(3) OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
(C) ARTICLE 9 SUB 4 OF THE SUPPLEMENTARY PROTOCOL (A/SP.1/01/05) ESTABLISH COMMUNITY COURT OF JUSTICE.
(D) ARTICLES 21, 29(A)& (B) OF INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION CONVENTION NO.169.
(E) ARTICLE 9 SUB 2 OF THE SUPPLEMENTARY PROTOCOL (A/SP.I/01/05) ESTABLISHING COMMUNITY COURT OF JUSTICE.
(F) ARTICLE 2 OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS
(G) ARTICLE 14 OF THE CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN AND DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT.
(H) ARTICLE 3 OF THE GENEUA CONVENTION (1) FOR THE AMELIORATION OF THE CONDITION OF THE WOUNDED AND SICK IN ARMED FORCES IN THE FILED 12 AUGUST 1949.
(I) UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION 40/34 OF 29 NOVEMBER 1985 ON THE DECLARATION OF BASIC PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE FOR THE VICTIMS OF CRIME AND ABUSE OF POWER.
(J) RESOLUTIONS 2, 3, 4 AND 5 OF THE BASIC PRINCIPLES ON THE USE OF FORCE AND FIREARMS BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS ADOPTED BY THE EIGHT UNITED NATIONS CONGRESS ON THE PREVENTION OF CRIME AND THE TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS, HAUANA CUBA, 27 AUGUST TO 7 SEPTEMBER 1990.
(K) ARTICLE 5 OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS ADOPTED BY GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION 34/169 OF 17 DECEMBER 1979.
(L) ARTICLE 11 OF THE PROTOCOL (A/P 1/7/91) ESTABLISHING THE COMMUNITY COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES.
(M) ARTICLE 9(1) D AND 10(C) AND D OF THE SUPPLEMENTARY PROTOCOL (A/SP, 1/01/05 ESTABLISHING THE COMMUNITY COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATE.
(N) ARTICLES 32 AND 33 OF THE RULES OF THE COMMUNITY COURT OF JUSTICE.
(O) ARTICLE 3 OF THE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CHIEF REGISTRAR AND PRACTICE DIRECTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY COURT OF JUSTICE (ECOWAS).
