The children of the late Kudirat Abiola, the wife of the winner of the 1993 presidential election, MKO Abiola, have sued the Nigerian government over the killing of their mother.
The suit marked ECW/CCJ/APP/62/2022 was filed before the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Abuja on Tuesday by their lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN).
Khafila Abiola, Hadi Abiola, and Moriam Abiola, who brought the suit on behalf of Kudirat’s children, say the “killing of Mrs. Kudirat Abiola by the armed agents of the defendant is illegal and a violation of her human rights to life and dignity.”
They also argue that “the failure or refusal of the defendant to protect the life of Late Alhaja Kudirat Abiola in the Republic of Nigeria amounts to a violation of Articles 1,4,5,18 and 23 of the African Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights.”
They are therefore seeking an order “directing the defendant to charge Sergeant Barnabas Jebila (a.k.a. Rogers), Mohammed Abdul (a.k.a Katako), and Aminu Mohammed with murder for the brutal killing of Mrs.Kudirat Abiola in Lagos on June 4, 1996.”
They also want an order “directing the defendant to pay the sum of $10 million to the applicants as compensation for the unlawful killing of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.”
Mrs. Abiola was shot dead in her car in Lagos on 4 June 1996 at a time she was leading the campaign for the unconditional release of her husband who was in detention for declaring himself president based on the result of the annulled 1993 election.
