ECOWAS Court dismisses SERAP’s suit on Abuja-Kaduna train attack

On Thursday, the ECOWAS Court of Justice dismissed a suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), seeking N50 million for each victim of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack.

Terrorists in March 2022 bombed an Abuja-Kaduna rail line near Rigasa in Kaduna and abducted several passengers.

At least 30 persons died in the incident.

Another 150 victims are still unaccounted for.

Justice Dupe Atoki, who delivered the judgement, held that SERAP’s claims were inadmissible because the organisation failed to meet the “victim status” requirement essential for litigation under Article 10(d) of the same Protocol.

She said: “The court recognises its jurisdiction to hear the case as it involved potential human rights violations within a member state, in accordance with Article 9(4) of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol.

READ ALSO: Police arrests suspected mastermind of Abuja-Kaduna train attack

“However, the court determines that the case does not meet the criteria for a public interest action, or actio popularis, which requires that the alleged violations affect a large, indeterminate segment of the public or the general public itself.

“The victims of the March 28 attack were identifiable individuals rather than an indeterminate public group, making the claim unsuitable as a public interest litigation.”

Other members of the panel are Justice Ricardo Gonçalves (chairman) and Justice Sengu Koroma.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now