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SERAP To Tinubu: Order Fagbemi To Withdraw Attack On ECOWAS Court

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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu “to publicly instruct Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to immediately withdraw his statement purportedly advising the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ‘to refrain from issuing unenforceable orders and judgments’”

The SERAP made the call in a statement issued in Lagos on Thursday under the signature of its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.

It recalled that Fagbemi, at the opening session of the statutory meeting of the ECOWAS judicial council in Abuja on Tuesday averred that “the judgments delivered by the ECOWAS are practically incapable of enforcement.”

The statement read, “This statement is clearly inconsistent and incompatible with Nigeria’s international legal obligations assumed under the various ECOWAS treaties and protocols to which the country is a state party.

“It is incorrect to say that the ECOWAS’ court judgments and orders are unenforceable the same way the Tinubu government cannot plausibly claim the judgments delivered by the Nigerian courts are unenforceable.

“This statement is a political attack on the ECOWAS Court which if not immediately withdrawn would undermine the integrity, independence, authority and effectiveness of the court and deny Nigerians access to justice and effective remedies.”

The SERAP also observed that “The judgments of the ECOWAS Court, which are final and immediately binding and enforceable, are vital for the realisation of ECOWAS aims and objectives.

“Rather than making statements to undermine the integrity, independence and authority of the ECOWAS Court, the Tinubu government should demonstrate the political will to immediately enforce all outstanding judgments by the court.

“President Tinubu is the chairman of the ECOWAS and Nigeria ought to show the leadership to invest in the ECOWAS’ judicial organ and uphold the various ECOWAS treaties and protocols and propose mechanisms to implement the decisions of ECOWAS Court within the country’s national legal system rather than disparaging the court.”

The not-for-profit organisation declared that it would “hold the Tinubu government to account for any breach of its international obligations, including under the ECOWAS treaties and protocols.”

It added that “Like in Nigerian courts, the ECOWAS Court proceedings are practical and its judgments are enforceable as a matter of law and justice. If a litigant before the court cannot have a judgment enforced, then there is no point in establishing a judicial organ for the ECOWAS in the first place.”

In the opinion of the SERAP, “The purpose of the ECOWAS treaties and protocols is to promote cooperation, integration as well as to forge a common front for enhanced economic stability and interdependence between Community States.

“But the ECOWAS integration agenda will be impossible if Nigeria continues to fail to uphold its international legal obligations, enforce the court judgments and decisions, embrace the rule of law, and strengthen ECOWAS institutions.”

It maintained that “The enforcement of the court’s judgments is particularly important in the case of individuals whose enjoyment of fundamental human rights, as guaranteed under the ECOWAS treaties and protocols and other human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a state party, is dependent on effective enforcement.”

NEWS

N1.7trn Loan: Atiku Blames NASS For Worsening Nigeria’s Debt Burden

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Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has criticized the federal government’s plan to secure an additional N1.7 trillion loan through Eurobonds to cover a shortfall in the 2024 budget, describing the borrowing as unsustainable and harmful to Nigeria’s economy.

In a statement shared on Thursday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of burdening Nigerians with debt while failing to provide clear answers about the country’s fiscal challenges.

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He also faulted the National Assembly for enabling what he called a “voracious appetite” for loans.

The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate expressed alarm over a recent World Bank report ranking Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), calling the development troubling.

“The recent report released by the World Bank, showing Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), is very concerning,” Atiku stated.

He raised further concerns about the government’s decision to benchmark the proposed loan at an exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official rate being over N1,600.

“What makes this particular loan proposal even more concerning is that it is benchmarked at the exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, whereas the current exchange rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria stands at over N1,600 to 1 USD,” he said.

Atiku questioned the need for additional borrowing, given the government’s earlier claims of record-high revenue collection.

“In July this year, Tinubu boasted that the FIRS and Customs under his watch had collected all-time high revenues to finance the budget. Why are they still borrowing?” he said

He accused the government of a lack of transparency, describing the borrowing spree as detrimental to Nigerians already struggling under economic hardship.

“There is something that they are not telling Nigerians, even as they are being crushed by a combination of their failed trial-and-error policies and loan rackets.”

Atiku also referenced a report by BudgIT, a budget monitoring group, which criticized the 2024 budget for its inefficiencies.

He alleged that corruption, rather than infrastructure or development needs, was driving the government’s borrowing decisions.

“These loans are powered by corruption and not for infrastructure and development needs. This voracious appetite for humongous loans is deeply concerning,” he said.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s financial history, Atiku lamented the return to significant foreign indebtedness just years after former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration cleared the country’s debt.

“It is agonizing to see that just a few years after the Obasanjo administration took us out of foreign indebtedness, we are today back at the top spot in the same conundrum,” he stated.

He called for a more cautious approach to borrowing, urging the government to prioritize fiscal responsibility and transparency to avoid worsening Nigeria’s economic challenges.

 

 

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International News

ICC Issues Arrest Warrants For Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Others

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The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a historic step, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.

In a detailed statement, the ICC accused the Israeli leaders of “intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”

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The ICC’s move marks a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant are alleged to have orchestrated policies that caused severe harm to the civilian population in Gaza, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.

Alongside the charges against Israeli officials, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Deif has long been a central figure in Hamas’s military operations. Israel’s military claims to have killed him in a July airstrike, although this has not been independently verified.

The warrants highlight growing calls for accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the region. The ICC’s actions are likely to provoke heated debate and may complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.

With the warrants issued, global attention now turns to how the international community will respond and whether any practical steps will be taken to enforce them.

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NEWS

Edo State Governor Sets Up Committee To Recover Missing Gov’t Vehicles

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Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has inaugurated a 12-member committee tasked with recovering government vehicles reportedly in private hands.

The committee, led by Kelly Okungbowa, has been given a two-week mandate to retrieve the vehicles and ensure their return to the state government.

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Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Benin City, Governor Okpebholo emphasized the importance of accountability in the management of public resources.

He urged the committee to carry out its assignment thoroughly and within the bounds of the law.

In his response, Okungbowa expressed gratitude to the governor for entrusting the team with the assignment, vowing to deliver results within the stipulated timeframe.

“A lot of vehicles used by the past administration are missing, as those in custody of the vehicles have refused to return them,” Okungbowa said.

“The governor deemed it fit to inaugurate us today with a mandate to recover all government vehicles in private hands.”

The committee, which includes representatives from Edo’s three senatorial districts, is set to investigate and recover the vehicles based on credible intelligence already at their disposal.

“We already have vital information regarding some persons still holding government vehicles,” Okungbowa stated. “We will do the job according to the law, and both the government and the people will be satisfied with the outcome.”

He also called on members of the public to assist the committee by providing information about any government vehicles that may still be in private possession.

“We want to appeal to members of the public who might be aware of anyone still keeping government vehicles in their houses to please inform us to enable the committee to recover such for the Edo State Government,” Okungbowa said.

The committee’s vice chairman, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror, a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, will work alongside other members to ensure the success of the initiative. The public can reach the committee at 08110165121.

 

 

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