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ECOWAS Court Orders Guinea to Pay Compensation for Violation of Citizen’s Right of Life and Integrity

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ECOWAS Court Orders Guinea to Pay Compensation for Violation of Citizen’s Right of Life and Integrity

By: Michael Mike

The ECOWAS Court of justice has ordered the State of Guinea to pay 269,000,000 Guinean Francs as compensation for emotional harm for the violation of the right to life and integrity to the Applicant whose son was fatally injured during a protest in Labe in Guinea.

The Court also ordered that the Respondent pays the Applicant 44.000, 000 as damages in the same currency.

Hon. Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma, Judge Rapporteur, delivered the judgment on Monday on behalf of the Panel which held that the Respondent had violated the fundamental right of the Applicant under the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and other fundamental human rights treaties.

The Applicant, Mamadou Mouctar Balde, had filed a claim before the Court alleging the violation of his son Amadou Balde’s right to life. He averred that the son died from a fatal injury sustained during a riot at the University of Labe, where the Respondent’s agents were maintaining law and order. The Applicant asserted that the Respondent acknowledged the death of his son but failed to fulfill its obligations under international law. In view of these claims, Applicant sought for a declaration of violation under Article 4 of the ACHPR, along with monetary compensation and costs.

The Respondent acknowledged that the death of the Applicant’s son but denied responsibility, claiming its agents had a lawful mandate. It averred that an investigation was initiated and prosecution followed but was halted after a fire incident at the Court of First Instance in Labé, destroying case documents. The Respondent argued that it has made efforts to reconstruct the file since this incidence. It contended that it has not violated the Applicant’s human rights and requested that the Court declare the application inadmissible in form, and on the merit, dismiss the claim for lack of evidence.

It prayed for costs in cause.

The Court cited that the issue of a death was not contended rather the contention was whether a violation had occurred and the responsibility of the Respondent in this instance. The Court emphazed that states have a duty to safeguard the right to life during protests. Consequently, it concluded that Amadou Balde’s death in the Labe protest constitutes a violation under Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and People Rights.

The Court also found that the Respondent’s claim of lack of documents to continue the trial after the fire incident unacceptable, as there is no evidence supporting this assertion. The Court held that, based on the available facts and evidence, the Respondent failed in its obligation under Article 1 of the African Charter on Human and People Rights. This is due to the fact that the act of the violation of the right to life is attributable to the Respondent.

The Court therefore made orders that the Respondent pays Two Hundred and Sixty-Nine Million Guinean Francs (269,000,000 GNF) as compensation for emotional harm and Forty- Four Million Guinean Francs (44,000,000 GNF) as damages to the Applicant.

The Panel also consisted of Hon. Justice Gbéri-bè Ouattara, presiding and Dupe Atoki (Member).

ECOWAS Court Orders Guinea to Pay Compensation for Violation of Citizen’s Right of Life and Integrity

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Fourteen Abducted Victims Released in Maru, Zamfara State; Two Killed in Captivity

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Fourteen Abducted Victims Released in Maru, Zamfara State; Two Killed in Captivity

By: Zagazola Makama

Fourteen victims abducted in December 2025, including six family members of Inspector Hussaini Abubakar of Maru Police Division, have been released by their captors.

Zagazola reliably gathered that the release occurred at about 1:00 p.m. on Feb. 26, 2026. Unfortunately, two of the victims, identified as Bashir Marafa, aged 45, and Halliru Kabiru, aged 50, were killed while in captivity.

Sources added that a pregnant woman among the abductees delivered a baby girl while in captivity. The victims are currently receiving medical attention at the General Hospital, Maru.

Fourteen Abducted Victims Released in Maru, Zamfara State; Two Killed in Captivity

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Two Abducted Victims Rescued in Tsafe, Zamfara; One Killed in Bandit Attack at Talata Mafara

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Two Abducted Victims Rescued in Tsafe, Zamfara; One Killed in Bandit Attack at Talata Mafara

By: Zagazola Makama

Two persons abducted earlier this month in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State have been rescued, while a separate bandit attack in Talata Mafara LGA left one person dead and others missing.

Sources confirmed that Bashir Adamu Iyatawa, 42, and Kenneth Allahmagani, 35, both from Zaria City, Kaduna State, were abducted at Unguwar Chida Village in Tsafe on Feb. 16, 2026.

They were rescued on Feb. 26, debriefed, and later taken to a hospital for medical attention before being handed over to their relatives.

In a separate incident, armed bandits loyal to a local bandit leader, Na Sanda, attacked the outskirts of Jangebe town in Talata Mafara LGA on Feb. 27 at about 2:00 a.m.

The attack resulted in the death of Misbawu Aminu, 30, and the abduction of an unspecified number of persons to an undisclosed location.

Joint troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA and local vigilante groups are reported to be pursuing the fleeing bandits. Authorities have assured that efforts to rescue the abducted victims and apprehend the culprits are ongoing.

Two Abducted Victims Rescued in Tsafe, Zamfara; One Killed in Bandit Attack at Talata Mafara

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Boko Haram Attack on CJTF Leaves One Dead in Gwoza, Borno state

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Boko Haram Attack on CJTF Leaves One Dead in Gwoza, Borno state

By: Zagazola Makama

One member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) was killed following an ambush by suspected ISWAP terrorists along the Warave–Gwoza Road in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.

Sources said the incident occurred on February 25 at about 7:30 a.m. when gunmen attacked members of the CJTF and hunters on routine patrol. Fifty-year-old Bello Adamu, a member of the CJTF, was fatally injured in the attack.

Army troops of Operation HADIN KAI, Police Tactical Units, and CJTF personnel visited the scene, documented the incident, and evacuated the victim to Gwoza General Hospital, where he was certified dead on arrival. His body was released to his family for burial according to Islamic rites.

Monitoring of the area continues to prevent further attacks.

Boko Haram Attack on CJTF Leaves One Dead in Gwoza, Borno state

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