ABUJA – The Egalitarian Mission for Africa (EMA), an international civil group, has filed a lawsuit against Nigerian President Bola Tinubu at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice. The lawsuit aims to halt the planned military action by Nigeria to reinstate the democratically elected government in Niger Republic.
EMA, represented by Nigerian lawyer Dr Kayode Ajulo, is joined by former Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Internal Affairs (NIIA) Professor Bola Akinterinwa and lawyer Hamza Nuhu Dantani as plaintiffs in the suit. The defendants named in the lawsuit include ECOWAS, the Authority of Heads of State & Government of ECOWAS, the President of ECOWAS Mission, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Republic of Niger.
The group seeks to invoke ECOWAS protocols and international laws to prevent the Nigerian government from carrying out the planned military invasion of the Niger Republic. EMA argues that the military action would violate ECOWAS treaties and constitute an illegal act.
EMA believes that Nigeria should not resort to military hostilities as it could worsen the crisis in Niger Republic. The lawsuit, marked ECW/CCJ/APP/3/23, highlights that aggression between member states is prohibited by ECOWAS treaties.