Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has sued the Federal Republic of Nigeria before the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice over alleged violations of his fundamental rights during successive military administrations in the 1980s and 1990s.
Falana, in a suit marked ECW/CCJ/APP/30/2026 and filed in Abuja, is seeking declarations that his alleged arrests, detentions, abduction and restrictions on his movement were unlawful.
The senior lawyer is also demanding $10 million in damages over alleged violations of his rights to personal liberty, dignity, fair hearing, property and freedom of movement.
He is asking the ECOWAS Court to determine the alleged violations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and relevant ECOWAS legal instruments.
According to the suit, Falana’s confrontation with the authorities began during his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme in Oyo State between 1982 and 1983.
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He represented students of the University of Ibadan who were charged with conspiracy and attempted murder following a dispute involving the university’s vice-chancellor.
Falana stated that the NYSC authorities withheld his discharge certificate because he represented the students without official permission.
“Even though the applicant completed the service, the authorities of the National Youth Service Corps seized his discharge certificate for defending the students without official permission,” the application stated.
