ECOWAS Court dismisses suit against FG over Kudirat Abiola’s death

The Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has dismissed a suit made against the Federal Government over the assassination of Mrs Kudirat Abiola, wife of Chief MKO Abiola, the acclaimed victor of the 1993 presidential election.

The petition was brought before the Court by three applicants, Khalifa Abiola, Moriam Abiola, and Hadi Abiola, who sued on behalf of themselves and the estate of the late Mrs Abiola, who they said was murdered in cold blood by some gunmen in Nigeria.

The Applicants stated in court that the late Kudirat was the wife of Chief Abiola, a Nigerian politician and statesman who won the June 1993 presidential election but was banned from taking office by the military dictatorship commanded by General Ibrahim Babangida.

According to the Applicants, the late Kudirat spearheaded a campaign for her husband’s release but was slain in June 1996.

They argued that the Nigerian government’s failure to hold accountable those responsible for her assassination, including one Sergent Barnabas Jebila.