Imperiled Kaduna train attack victims: Again, SERAP sues Buhari at ECOWAS Court

For alleged failure to secure the safe release of victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack being held captive by the terrorists, a non-governmental body has taken President Muhammadu Buhari and his government to the regional court — the ECOWAS Court.

Another ground is the failure to protect the rights to life, security, and dignity of the victims of the attack.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) filed

the suit last week before the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja by its lawyers — Mr Kolawole Oluwadare and Mr Opeyemi Owolabi.

Persecondnews reported that terrorists had on March 28 bombed the tracks of AK9 Abuja–Kaduna train, killing at least nine people, injuring scores, and abducting  about 160 passengers.

The victims have spent a month in the terrorists’ den in the Northern forests without any ray of hope of being rescued in spite of appeals by their family members.

The suit followed reports that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) failed to approve funds for surveillance equipment that could have helped to prevent the train attack.

SERAP is, therefore, is among others, seeking a declaration that the train attack, abductions and killings of passengers by terrorists amount to a failure by the government to protect Nigerians, and to prevent these grave human rights violations.

“An order directing the Buhari government to protect, promote, and fulfil the human rights of Nigerians, including travellers across the country, by ensuring adequate security and taking measures to prevent attacks.

“An order directing the Buhari government to urgently find and identify all the passengers, victims and their families, and to pay adequate monetary compensation of N50 million to each of the passengers and victims and their families.

“The Buhari government has a legal duty to protect individuals from real and immediate risks to their lives and security caused by actions of third-parties such as terrorists.

“A fundamental notion of contemporary human rights law is that victims of violations such as the victims of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack enjoy an independent right to effective remedies,” SERAP said in a statement given to Persecondnews on Sunday.

It added: “Rights without remedies are ineffectual, rendering illusory the government’s duty to protect such rights.

“The Buhari government has failed to protect the constitutionally and internationally guaranteed rights of the victims of the train attack to life, dignity and security, and their right to an effective remedy.”