The Community Court of Justice (ECOWAS) has dismissed a lawsuit filed by Khalifa Abiola and two others against the Federal Government of Nigeria over alleged human rights violations linked to the assassination of Mrs.

In a ruling delivered on Friday, the court declared the case inadmissible, stating that the applicants lacked the legal standing to sue. Justice Edward Amoako Asante, the Judge Rapporteur, ruled that the claimants failed to establish a direct relationship with the late Mrs. Abiola or present a legal mandate to represent her estate.

The case, registered as ECW/CCJ/APP/62/22, was filed by Khalifa Abiola, Moriam Abiola, and Hadi Abiola, who alleged that the Nigerian government violated Kudirat Abiola’s fundamental human rights by failing to prosecute those responsible for her 1996 assassination. Kudirat, wife of Chief MKO Abiola—widely regarded as the winner of Nigeria’s annulled 1993 presidential election—was murdered while advocating for her husband’s release from detention.

The applicants argued that despite a Commission of Inquiry identifying Sergeant Barnabas Jebila as a key suspect, the government failed to take sufficient action to ensure justice.

While dismissing the case, the ECOWAS Court upheld its jurisdiction over human rights violations involving ECOWAS member states, rejecting Nigeria’s objections. However, it emphasized that it does not serve as an appellate court for national judicial decisions.

This ruling reinforces the ECOWAS Court’s role in addressing human rights cases while highlighting the importance of legal standing in such proceedings.