5 Kogi indigenes drag FG to ECOWAS court over rising insecurity, killings

Five elder statesmen from Kogi state have dragged the Federal Government before the ECOWAS court sitting in Abuja over the rising spate of insecurity and killings in the country.

The plaintiffs, specifically accused the President Bola Tinubu-led administration of being indifferent to violence and attendant destruction of lives and properties in their state, Kogi.

Those behind the suit marked: ECW/CCJ/APP/24/23 dated, are Ambassador Ali Ocheni, Hajiya (Chief) Rekiya M. Abaji, Dr. Sebastine Abuh, Sulaiman Akpa and Dr. Ojoachele Akor Felix.

In the application they predicated on Article 78 to 86 Under Chapter 1 of the Rules of the Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS, Article 20 of Protocol CA/P1/7/91 on the Community Court of Justice, the plaintiffs, decried that “insecurity in Kogi State is taking new turns daily and has currently risen to a high, intolerable and intractable crescendo.”

They told the regional court that thugs and hoodlums have taken over and are freely operating within the state, a situation they said have put residents in deep fear for their lives and properties.

“The officials of the state, who have their hands dipped in all the violence and inhuman and degrading treatment and punishment, are taciturn and just looking the other way, thereby fueling the crises with the aim of creating tension and fear amongst the citizens of the state ahead of the forthcoming governorship elections,” the plaintiffs averred in the suit they filed through their team of lawyers led by Chief Festus Oguche.

They plaintiffs alleged that politicians have compromised the security architecture in the state, insisting that if nothing was done urgently, the situation could lead to crisis among various ethnic groups in the state.

They stated that if the security apparatus in the state is left unchecked, it will continue to do the bidding of political state actors, hence, their decision to approach the court to compel FG to intervene.

According to the plaintiffs, the citizens are helpless in the face of the gross violations of their human rights by thugs and alleged security agents.

“All these are notorious facts of which the defendant is very much aware of and has done nothing to protect the people from the wanton attacks and violence, hence this application.

“The people of Kogi State have suffered immense hardship and deprivation, particularly in the area of the gross violation of fundamental rights by the direct killing, abduction and torture of the people, or the loss of loved ones and properties in the hands of the dangerous political hoodlums and security operatives in the state; extra judicial killings at the instance of persons acting in an official capacity, hence this humble application for interim measures, imploring on the honourable court to intervene and come to the aid of the people of the state,” they added.

More so, the plaintiffs, maintained that the imperatives for effective interim or provisional security measures, would include; to abate the growing incidence of killings, abductions, destructions and invasions of communities, perpetrated by thugs; interim placement of adequate and professionally imbued security personnel in Kogi State, specifically, for the purpose of shielding the population against incessant killings, abductions and destructions of lives and properties.

They said it would further include; “bringing to the defendant’s attention, its duty to provide proper security for the people of Kogi State in the face of the growing violent violations of their human rights and fundamental freedoms as guarantee for their right of participation, either actively or passively in the November governorship elections by the provisional measures, by allowing an atmosphere of security, peace and tranquility to reign preparatory to the polls.”

Consequently, the plaintiffs, are among other things, seeking a provisional order, directing the defendant (FG) to take immediate interim measures for a special security intervention in Kogi State.

As well as, “an order for provisional measures directing the defendant to report the details of the measures undertaken by it to the court from time to time.”

Meanwhile, no date has been fixed for the matter to be heard.