ECOWAS fines Nigeria $3.3m for Apo killings

Ecowas: The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, court has hit Nigeria with a $3.3 million fine over the extra-judicial killing of eight Nigerians in the Apo District of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

The court ordered the country to pay damages of $200,000 in compensation to each of the family of the victims killed and $150,000 to each of the injured by a combined team of soldiers and operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS, during a raid on an uncompleted building at Apo Area of Abuja.
The eight people killed by security operatives when it opened fire on them were later discovered to be commercial motorcycle riders who were taking refuge in the uncompleted building as a result of skyrocketing cost of house rent in the capital city.
The victims were identified as are Nura Abdullahi, Ashiru Musa, Abdullahi Manmman, Buhari Ibrahim, Suleiman Ibrahim, Ahmadu Musa, Nasir Adamu and Musa Yobe, while the 11 injured include Muttaka Abubakar, Sani Abdulrahman, Nuhu Ibrahim, Ibrahim Mohammed, Ibrahim Aliyu, Yahaya Bello, Abubakar Auwal, Yusuf Abubakar, Ibrahim Bala, Murtala Salihu and Sanni Usman.
A non-governmental organization, The Incorporated Trustees of Fiscal and Civil Right Enlightment Foundation, had on behalf of the deceased, dragged Nigeria, the Army and Department of State Service, before the regional court to challenge the legality of the killing of the eight commercial motorcyclists and the injuring of others when the security men invaded their apartment.

In the judgment delivered by presiding Justice, Friday Chijioke Nwoke, Nigeria was found liable of brutal killing of defenseless citizens, contrary to the provision of local and international law on the fundamental rights of citizens to life.