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Villagers sue Buhari for N1.19 bn

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7 years ago

January 31, 2018

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No fewer than 64 villagers from five villages in Niger have taken class action against President Muhammadu Buhari and seven others over invasion of their villages in August 2016 when 13 persons lost their lives, others injured, and property worth millions of naira destroyed.

The villages, in Bosso Local Government Area of Niger, were invaded midnight by a joint military squad.

The villagers in the suit filed before the High Court in Minna, Monday, sued for the enforcement of their fundamental rights, demanding N1.19 billion in damages and compensation from the Federal Government and the military over summary execution of 13 sons, illegal detention and torture of 54 others.

The applicants are praying the court to direct the respondents to pay N50 million per each son killed, amounting to N650 million as compensation for the number of dead victims in the invasion.

Similarly, 54 other victims from the 11th to the 64th applicants in the suit, are also demanding an order of the court directing the respondents to pay N5 million each as compensation for the torture, inhuman and degrading treatment they received in the hands of the military officers and another N5 million as compensation for their unlawful detention in military barracks, Minna.

The applicants also sought the declaration of the court, including condemning the killings of the sons and children of the 1st to 10th applicants without lawful order of a competent court by the officers and agents of the respondents on the 4th of August 2016 as unlawful and a violation of the applicants sons’ right to life as guaranteed.

Counsel to the applicants, Benjamin Attah, Isah Panti and Mohammed El-Surur Abubakar, had brought the issues before the court for determination.

Hearing in the suit begins February 20.

The attorney-general of the Federation, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, General Officer Commanding 1 Division of Nigerian Army and Brigade Commander 31 Artillery Brigade, Minna were joined in the suit.