We are disappointed with ECOWAS Court of Justice - IPOB

- The Indigenous People of Biafra has said it is disappointed with the decision of the ECOWAS Court of Justice

- The court had deferred ruling on an application by Nnamdi Kanu against the federal government of Nigeria

- The IPOB said it has determined that the ECOWAS Court of Justice lacks the courage to deliver justice dispassionately

The IPOB said it is disappointed by the decision of the ECOWAS Court of Justice

The Economic Community of West African states court of Justice has deferred the ruling on a matter between the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu and the Nigerian government.

ECOWAS court in a letter dated January 18, said adjourned a breach of fundamental human rights application made against the Nigerian government by Nnamdi Kanu.

The court said: “Notice is hereby given that this application has been adjourned for ruling to the 7th day of March, 2017 at 10 o’clock.”

“Please note that the earlier date of 9th February, 2017, has been deffered, at the instance of the court to the 7th day of March, 2017, in the forenoon and will be delivered on that day if the business of the court permits or otherwise on some adjourned day of which you may not receive further notice,” the ECOWAS court’s letter said.

But in its reaction the IPOB has said it is disappointed by the action of the regional court.

A statement by the groups’ spokesperson Powerful Emma said the IPOB has determined that the ECOWAS Court of Justice lacks the courage to deliver justice dispassionately.

Emma said: “According to information from its website, the ECCJ “has jurisdiction to determine cases of violation of human rights that occur in any member state.”

Emma said these applies to treaties, conventions, protocols, and regulations adopted by ECOWAS as well as Article 38 of the Statute of International Court of Justice.

He further asked: “Then why is the ECCJ afraid to give decisive judgment on the case of Nnamdi Kanu versus Federal Government of Nigeria? Why are the Judges postponing the ruling date in perpetuity, if they have nothing to hide?”

He said: “Recall that on March 2nd, 2016, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu filed a lawsuit at the ECCJ against the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the issue of violations of his fundamental human rights and sought enforcement of same rights as well as compensations from the Federal Republic of Nigeria. At the October sitting of the ECCJ, the case was adjourned to November 8, 2016.

“When the case came up on November 8, the presiding Judge, Micha Wright, again adjourned it to February 9th, 2017 for Ruling. On the 17th of January 2017 and without waiting for the February 9th, 2017 date to come, the ECCJ again adjourned the date of the Ruling to March 7, 2017, with a caveat that even the March date is subject to further adjournments," the IPOB said.

We ask the ECCJ the following questions; why will it take more than one year to hear and deliver judgment on a simple case of violation of fundamental human rights?

“Why the multiple adjournments at the stage of delivering judgment?

“How come the cases of Sambo Dasuki and Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky which bothered on the same fundamental human rights violation, were started and concluded within six months?

“Is it because Nnamdi Kanu is a Christian or is it because he is from Biafraland and not from the Northern part of Nigeria?

Emma also said that such attidude from the court is one of the reason the IPOB is agitating for the freedom of Biafra.

He said: Unlike the shenanigans going on both at the ECCJ and in Nigerian courts, the Biafran judicial system will be comparable to what obtains in the Western world.”

Stating that the regional court has failed in its responsibility to deliver justice, Emma further said the IPOB does not except justice from the court anymore.

“We assert that there is absolutely no reason for the ECCJ to dilly-dally in making a Ruling expeditiously in the case of violations of fundamental human rights instituted against Nigeria since March 2016.

“The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) wish to express their utter dismay and disappointment with the ECCJ.

“We believe that the ECCJ lacks the courage and impartial mindset needed to deliver justice promptly in the case instituted by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, hence the ECCJ resorted to adjournments after adjournments,” Emma added.