Owerri, Imo State — A frontline Human Rights Activist and Principal Partner of Mete-Bia Chambers, Nze (Barr.) Ekpunobi Samuel Chijioke, has instituted a landmark suit at the Federal High Court, Owerri Division, against the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, alongside six State Governors of Benue, Plateau, Taraba, Imo, Ebonyi, and Enugu States, as well as top security chiefs and institutions of state.
Other defendants in the suit include the Director-General of the State Security Services (DSS), the Nigerian Army, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Nigeria Police Force, and the National Assembly Commission.
In an Originating Summons, the activist seeks the court’s interpretation and determination of four fundamental constitutional issues, to wit:
1. Whether the Defendants’ failure to protect Christian communities in Imo (Okigwe & Orsu), Benue, Ebonyi, Enugu, Taraba, and Plateau States from systematic killings, abductions, and displacement by armed groups—including Fulani militias, Boko Haram, and ISWAP—constitutes a violation of the Plaintiffs’ rights to life, dignity, personal liberty, and freedom from discrimination under Sections 33, 34, 35, and 42 of the 1999 Constitution and Articles 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act.
2. Whether the Defendants’ failure to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of these attacks violates the right to an effective remedy under Article 7 of the African Charter and Section 46 of the 1999 Constitution.
3. Whether the Defendants’ inaction breaches their constitutional duty to ensure the security and welfare of citizens under Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution.
4. Whether the Plaintiffs are entitled to declaratory, injunctive, and compensatory reliefs for the Defendants’ breaches of their fundamental rights.
The Plaintiff(s), is praying to the court for the following declarations and orders:
• A Declaration that the Defendants’ failure to protect Christian communities in Imo, Benue, Enugu, Ebonyi, Taraba, and Plateau States from killings, abductions, and displacement violates Sections 33, 34, 35, and 42 of the Constitution and Articles 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the African Charter.
• A Declaration that the failure to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of attacks constitutes a breach of the right to an effective remedy under Article 7 of the African Charter and Section 46 of the Constitution.
• A Declaration that the Defendants have breached their constitutional duty to ensure the security and welfare of citizens under Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution.
• An Order compelling the Defendants to deploy adequate security forces, including military posts and patrols, to protect Christian communities in the affected states from further attacks.
• An Order directing the Defendants to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of the attacks, including Fulani militias, Boko Haram, and ISWAP.
• An Order for the payment of ₦5,000,000,000 (Five Billion Naira) as compensation to the Plaintiffs and affected Christian communities for loss of lives, property, and livelihoods.
• An Order for the rehabilitation and resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes with adequate security and humanitarian aid, including food, medical services, and shelter.
• An Order establishing a judicial inquiry to investigate the causes and perpetrators of attacks on Christian communities in Imo (Okigwe & Orsu) , Benue, and Plateau States.
It is instructive to state that Legal analysts have described the case as a watershed in Nigeria’s constitutional and human rights jurisprudence, given its focus on the obligations of the state to protect vulnerable communities against escalating violence.
The matter has been scheduled for hearing at the Federal High Court, Owerri, with expectations that it could reshape government accountability in the area of security and fundamental rights enforcement.
