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ECOWAS Court Fines Sierra Leone $25,000 for Violent Police Crackdown on Demonstrating Students

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ECOWAS Court Fines Sierra Leone $25,000 for Violent Police Crackdown on Demonstrating Students

By: Michael Mike

The ECOWAS Court of Justice has ordered the Republic of Sierra Leone to pay $25,000 as compensation to Mohamed Morlu, a Sierra Leone citizen, for violating his fundamental human rights.

Morlu had sued the Republic of Sierra Leone after he sustained a gunshot wound during a students’ protest in March 2017, at which officers of the Sierra Leonean police force fired shots to disperse the demonstrators.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Edward Amoako Asante declared that the Respondent state violated Mr. Morlu’s right to security of the person, freedom from torture, the right to an effective remedy contrary to the provisions of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Convention against Torture.

The Court ordered that the government must pay for any upcoming surgery needed to remove the bullet from the gunshot, which is still stuck in the Applicant’s abdomen. In addition, the Court ruled that the government must quickly investigate, find, and prosecute the officers who shot the Applicant during the student protest and take measures to properly train its law enforcement officers on crowd control.

Morlu was a student at Njala University in Bo City, Sierra Leone, in March 2017 when a four-month strike by lecturers at the University disrupted academic work. On 23 March 2017, students at the University went on a third protest march to present their grievances to the Ministry of Education. In an attempt to disperse the demonstrators, officers from the Operation Support Division (OSD) of the Sierra Leone Police Force fired shots into the crowd, injuring Morlu and other students.

Morlu was hospitalized, underwent surgery, and later sought medical treatment in Ghana due to complications from the bullet.

In its defense to the suit at the ECOWAS Court, the Respondent State asserted that the protesting students blocked roads and obstructed traffic. The police tried to contain the situation but were met with resistance from the students, some of whom pelted the police with stones. In the ensuing escalation, the police fired some warning shots, one of which accidentally injured the Applicant. The Respondent, therefore, denied that it violated Mr. Morlu’s human rights.

In the judgment, the Court rejected the Respondent’s claim that Morlu was injured accidentally, finding that the firing of live ammunition into the crowd of protesting students by the police was unjustified. The Court also upheld the Applicant’s case that he suffered torture and that the Respondent failed to provide effective redress by investigating, identifying, and prosecuting the perpetrators.

The panel of judges were Justice Edward Amoako Asante, Judge Rapporteur for the case, and Justices Gberi-Bè Ouattara and Sengu M. Koroma.

ECOWAS Court Fines Sierra Leone $25,000 for Violent Police Crackdown on Demonstrating Students

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Bandits attack family on New-Bussa–Babanna road in Niger

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Bandits attack family on New-Bussa–Babanna road in Niger

By: Zagazola Makama

Armed bandits have attacked a family travelling along the New-Bussa–Babanna road in Niger State, leaving five people injured.

Zagazola report that the incident occurred on Sunday at about 4 p.m. near Ehka Kuka/Audu Fari village.

The victims, identified as Alhaji Fatayi Raheemi, 38, his wife, and other family members Fatima Nurudeen, 27; Munirat Isyaka, 25; Aishat Ismail, 25; and Rashidat Fatayi, 30, were reportedly shot at by the bandits while travelling in their Mercedes-Benz car from New-Bussa to Babanna town.

The gunmen opened fire on the moving vehicle, causing it to veer off the road, as all occupants sustained varying degrees of injuries.

Residents said security operatives later arrived at the scene and evacuated the victims to the Primary Health Centre, Babanna, where they were receiving treatment.

The damaged vehicle was recovered to the Babanna Police Station, while efforts were ongoing to track down the assailants.

Bandits attack family on New-Bussa–Babanna road in Niger

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Gunmen kill one, injure two in Plateau attack

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Gunmen kill one, injure two in Plateau attack

By: Zagazola Makama

Armed men have attacked Wereng village in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing one person and injuring two others.

Zagazola that the attack occurred at about 9 p.m. on Monday when the assailants invaded the community and opened fire indiscriminately.

The victim was identified as Joshua Monday, while the two injured persons were rushed to the General Hospital, Riyom, for medical treatment.

Army troops and other security forced were said to have arrived at the scene shortly after the attack to restore calm.

Sources confirmed that the deceased’s body had been deposited at the hospital morgue, while an investigation was underway to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.

Gunmen kill one, injure two in Plateau attack

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12 bandits killed, 2 soldiers injured in clash in Katsina

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12 bandits killed, 2 soldiers injured in clash in Katsina

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the Nigerian Army have killed 12 bandits during a clash at Mabai village in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Zagazola gathered that the incident occurred on Sunday at about 5:30 p.m., shortly after a peace accord meeting held at Kakumi village in Bakori LGA.

Sources said that the bandits, while passing in front of a military base at Mabai, engaged the troops in a gun duel, leading to the death of 12 of the assailants.

Two army personnel sustained serious injuries during the encounter and were referred to the Medical Centre in Katsina for treatment.

The sources said the situation in the area had since been brought under control, with intensive patrols and monitoring activities ongoing to forestall further breakdown of law and order.

12 bandits killed, 2 soldiers injured in clash in Katsina

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