Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer and chairman of Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond, has called on the Federal Government to compensate victims of military airstrikes over the past seven years.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Falana warned that if the government fails to meet the demand within two weeks, legal action will be taken before a Federal High Court.
His warning comes in the wake of the accidental bombing of residents of Tudun Biri in lgabi Local Government Area of Kaduna state last Sunday.
The country has witnessed numerous accidental strikes by the Armed Forces, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of civilians. Falana emphasized that there has been no justice for the victims of these bombings.
He pointed out that despite the establishment of a commission after the Rann bombing in January 2017, tasked with reviewing rules of engagement and ensuring compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law, the government has not published the report or implemented the commission’s recommendations.
Falana demanded that the Federal Government provide adequate compensation to all victims of airstrikes in Nigeria over the past seven years. Failure to meet this demand within the next two weeks would result in legal action at the Federal High Court to enforce the victims’ fundamental right to life.
Regarding the Kaduna bombing, President Bola Tinubu ordered a probe into the incident. However, Falana urged the government to publish the findings of the Georgewill Judicial Commission instead of setting up a new panel of inquiry.