African Human, Peoples’ Rights Court woos Nigeria on membership

By Andrew Orolua, Abuja

A delegation of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights led by its President, Justice Sylvain Ore are expected to arrive the country on Saturday to solicit support for Nigeria’s declaration that will enable citizens take their right abuses’ complaints before the court.

Nigeria in 2004 ratified the protocol that established the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, thus making it one of the 30 -member states that have adopted the protocol out of the 55 –member African Union countries, but she is yet to make a declaration that would allow Nigerians utilize the court.

In addition to the ratification of the protocol, states have to make declarations as required under Article 34 (6) of the protocol to allow individuals and non-governmental organizations bring cases directly before the court. Without such a declaration, the court would have no jurisdiction over cases brought before it.

So far, only nine of the 30 -member states to the protocol: Benin, Burkina Faso,Cote d’Ivoire ,Ghana, Malawi, Mali, Tanzania, Tunisia and one other country had made the declaration recognizing the competence of the court to receive cases from non-governmental organizations and individuals.

A representative of Nigeria to the court, Justice Stella Anukam, said yesterday while declaring open a training workshop for judiciary correspondents in Abuja, that the one- week working visit to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice and key government officials was necessary to enlighten the people about the court.

“Very few citizens are aware of the existence of the court,” she said, adding that the media can help by enlightening the people whom the court is meant to serve.

A statement signed by the Court Registrar, Robert Eno, stated that the President of the Court, Justice Ore is hopeful that “the visit will help to enhance judicial cooperation and share experiences between the two courts.”

According to it, the reciprocal visit follows the inaugural visit by the ECOWAS Court of Justice to the Arusha – based court in February last year, during which a memorandum of understanding was signed.

The visit, he added, is part of the court’s ongoing efforts to strength ties with regional courts on the continent. A similar memorandum was signed by the African Court with the East African Court of Justice last month in Arusha.

The African Court delegation, which includes three judges and senior registry staff is also expected to pay a courtesy call on President Muhammad Buhari and meet key officials in the ministries of foreign affairs and justice, as well as the National Human Rights Commission, Nigeria Bar Association, non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations.

A senior Information / Communication Officer of the court, Mr. Chhatbar Sukhdev said the court was established in 1998 by virtue of Article 1 of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights came into force on January25, 2004, is to complement the protective mandate of the African Commission on Human Rights.