Falana also advised the Tinubu-led govt to publish the findings of the Georgewill Judicial Commission instead of setting up a new panel of enquiry
By Kehinde Okeowo
Foremost human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has told the Federal Government to compensate victims of military airstrikes in the past seven years in Nigeria in two weeks or risk legal action.
He gave the warning via a statement he released on Sunday, where he threatened to drag the government before a Federal High Court if his demand is not met.
Over 300 civilians, including children and women, have died in accidental bombings by the Nigerian military in the past few years.
The most recent was the December 3 bombing where many residents of Tudun Biri in Igabi LGA of Kaduna were killed in airstrikes said to be targeted at terrorists
The erroneous drone bombing led to an outcry across the country as at least 120 innocent residents lost their lives in the deadly attack.
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Reacting to the incident, Falana, noted that there has been no justice for victims of these types of bombings across the years.
He added that after the Rann bombing of January 2017, the government set up a commission “mandated to review extant rules of engagement applicable in the armed forces of Nigeria as well as the extent of compliance with the rules. Part of the mandate of the commission was to also prefer means of preventing violations of international humanitarian and human rights law”.
He, however, wondered why the FG has neither published the report nor implemented the recommendations of the commission headed by Justice Biobell Georgewill of the Court of Appeal.
“No doubt, the military authorities accepted responsibility for the airstrikes and claimed that the crashes were caused by ‘accidents’. But no compensation was paid to those who were injured and the families of scores of people who lost their lives in the tragic incidents,” the statement reads.
“The Commission was given 90 days for the assessment. Our law firm represented the victims of the Rann airstrike at the Commission of Enquiry. Upon the conclusion of the assignment, the Commission submitted its report.
“The Federal Government should pay adequate compensation to the victims of all airstrikes that have occurred in Nigeria in the past seven years. If our demand is not met within the next two weeks, we shall sue the Federal Government at the Federal High Court to secure the enforcement of the fundamental right of the victims to life.”
Falana went on to advise the President Bola Tinubu-led government to publish the findings of the Georgewill Judicial Commission instead of setting up a new panel of enquiry.
