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Sanctions Against Niger, ECOWAS Court Fixes December 7 for Ruling on Legality
Sanctions Against Niger, ECOWAS Court Fixes December 7 for Ruling on Legality
By: Michael Mike
The ECOWAS Court of Justice will on December 7, 2023 deliver its ruling on interim measures in a case between the State of Niger and seven others, and the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS and two others.
The Court fixed the date after hearing both parties during its sitting held on Monday, November 21, 2023 at its Seat in Abuja/
At the hearing, the applicants represented by their lawyers Mr Moukaila Yaye and five others argued that the sanctions imposed by the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS have adverse effect on the Nigerien people including shortage of food, medicine and electricity, due to the closure of borders and cut off of electricity supply by Nigeria.
They asked the Court for interim court orders that will compel the Authority of Heads of State and Government to immediately suspend the sanctions.
They said that the respondents overreacted by imposing the sanctions which were not successive, and that Niger was treated unequally and unfairly compared to the other three member states (Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea) that also experienced coup d’état in recent years.
The applicants also asked the Court to declare its competence to examine the case and declare the application admissible in accordance with the Court’s texts.
The respondents namely the Authority of Heads of State, the Mediation and Security Council, and the ECOWAS Commission represented by Mr François Kanga-Penond raised an objection of inadmissibility of the application and asked the Court to reject the request of the applicants.
Kanga-Penond told the Court that coup d’état was not recognised in a democracy and that the junta does not have legal capacity to bring a case before the Court adding that, the democratically elected President has a pending case before the Court in which he is challenging the legitimacy of this same junta.
He emphasised that the lack of legal capacity of the junta to approach the Court restraints the Court from examining their request for interim measures.
In the initiating application, the applicants – the State of Niger, six Nigerien organisations and a Nigerien national asked the Court to declare the measures taken by the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS during its extraordinary sessions of July 30 and August 10, 2023, allegedly aimed at restoring constitutional order in the Republic of Niger, illegal.
They requested the Court to nullify all decisions of these ECOWAS organs imposing sanctions, including the decision to resort to military intervention in the Republic of Niger.
The panel of three judges on the bench is composed of: Hon. Judge Edward Amoako Asante, President, Hon. Judge Gbéri-bè Ouattara, Judge Rapporteur/Member
Hon. Judge Dupe Atoki, Member.
Sanctions Against Niger, ECOWAS Court Fixes December 7 for Ruling on Legality
Troops rescue 31 kidnapped passengers in Kogi, search ongoing for others
By; Zagazola Makama
The Nigerian Army troops in collaboration with police and local hunters rescued 31 kidnapped passengers along the Apata-Obajana road on Thursday night.
Zagazola Makama informed reliably that the incident occurred on May8, at about 11:50 p.m. when two Toyota Hiace buses travelling from Lagos to Kano and Katsina respectively were attacked by armed hoodlums.
The first bus with registration number DTF 773 XA driven by Saminu Yahaya was heading to Kano with 17 passengers, while the second, with registration number KNA 170 XA, driven by Bashir Dahiru, was en route to Katsina with another 17 passengers.
A distress alert was received from a local hunter, prompting a swift response by the troops who engaged the assailants in a fierce gun duel, which forced the attackers to abandon 31 of the 38 victims and flee into the forest.
Four of the rescued passengers sustained machete injuries, while one victim was hit by a bullet in the left thigh. All injured victims were immediately evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment.
Efforts are ongoing to rescue the remaining seven abducted persons have been intensified.
Troops rescue 31 kidnapped passengers in Kogi, search ongoing for others
Troops of Operation Safe Haven arrest notorious gunrunners, recover arms in Kaduna
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) have arrested three suspected notorious gunrunners and recovered arms and ammunition in Golgokofa village under Godogodo Chiefdom, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The operation, which was conducted on May 8, followed credible intelligence that led the troops to the suspects’ hideout.
The suspects were identified as Adamu Musa, 65; Lukman Isah, 35; and Umar Jammo, 25.
Items recovered from the operation include one AK-47 rifle, one fabricated gun, one AK-47 magazine, a round of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, and three motorcycles.
The suspects are currently in custody and making useful confessions to aid further operations aimed at arresting other members of the criminal network and recovering additional arms.
OPSH reiterated its commitment to working with the public and utilizing actionable intelligence to rid the region of criminal elements and ensure a safe and secure environment.
Troops of Operation Safe Haven arrest notorious gunrunners, recover arms in Kaduna
Cattle Herder Survives ISWAP Terrorists Attack in Monguno LGA, Borno
By Hamza Suleiman
On May 7, 2025, at approximately 2030hrs, a cattle herder, Hassan Bukar, 55, was attacked by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists while grazing his cattle in Wulo bush, Monguno Local Government Area, Borno State.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the assailants used a knife to cut him at the nape of his neck, but the victim, despite the severity of the injury, managed to survive.
The victim was immediately rushed to Monguno General Hospital by a patrol team from Monguno Division, where he was admitted and is currently receiving treatment.
Troops of Sector 3 MNJTF and Operational Hadin Kai have intensified efforts to track and nutrialised the terrorists.
Cattle Herder Survives ISWAP Terrorists Attack in Monguno LGA, Borno
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