ONITSHA—Legal firework is expected to continue at the
Federal High Court, Owerri, Imo State on September 22,
this year in the human rights suit filed by the Bilie Human
Rights Initiative on behalf of the Supreme Council of
Elders of the Indigenous People of Biafra, SCE-IPOB,
against the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The suit which was filed on their behalf, by their legal
counsel, A. C. Emeka of Mekadolf Law Chambers,
Owerri, had earlier been scheduled for hearing on June 16,
but due to the inability of the court to sit, the case was
adjourned to September 22 for hearing.
Before the June 16 hearing date, the presiding judge of the
court, Justice S. M. Shuaibu had awarded a N5,000 cost
against the defendants for filing their statement of defence
few months after the statutory required period.
The statement of defence and counter-affidavit were filed on
behalf of the defendants, by their legal counsel, Prof. Yemi
Akinseye George (SAN).
In the suit No FHC/OW/CS/192/2013, brought under
the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights
(Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap 10, Laws of the
Federation of Nigeria 1990 and the Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, the Bilie Human Rights
Initiative representing IPOB, the claimants who are
indigenes of the South East geo-political zone of Nigeria,
parts of South South geo-political and the Middle Belt
zones had dragged the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its
Attorney-General of the Federation to the court as first
and second defendants, seeking to be given the right to self-
determination.
According to the originating summons, the claimants are
seeking a declaration of the court to enforce their right to
self-determination, pursuant to the relevant Articles on
African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, adding that
they are equally asking the court to order the defendants to
redress all wrongs inflicted on them by the defendants in
consequence whereof.
The claimants further prayed the court to determine whether
the IPOB who are the remnants that were not consumed in
the Nigeria-Biafra civil war of 1967 –1970 have the right
of self-determination pursuant to Articles 19 –25 of the
African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
They also want the court to determine whether the
claimants who identified themselves as Biafrans by indigenous
identity were committing any offence by doing so contrary to
any provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria 1999 or contrary to any provision of the Criminal
Code and whether it is a crime under any national or
international law to mention the name of Biafra or for the
remnants of IPOB who were not consumed by the war to
maintain their indigenous identity as Biafrans with their
native emblems and symbols as they do now, even though they
are Nigerians by citizenship and nationality laws
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