In a significant victory for justice and human rights, the ECOWAS Court of Justice has rejected a legal challenge by the Kogi State Government seeking to overturn a 2022 judgment in the murder of Mrs. Salome Abuh, a local politician who was burned alive in her home during the 2019 elections.
Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Edward Amoako reaffirmed that the Nigerian government violated Abuh’s right to life by failing to prevent the attack or hold anyone accountable.
The court upheld its earlier decision, awarding ₦10 million in damages to her family.
Abuh was killed in Ochadamu, Kogi State, when political thugs set her house ablaze for supporting an opposition party. Her killing shocked the nation and became a grim symbol of electoral violence.
Kogi’s counterapplication accused Abuh’s legal team of misleading the court and claimed reputational harm—but the state government did not appear to argue its case.
“Their absence was not silence—it was a tactic,” said Salome’s lawyer, Barr. Daniel Makolo.
Makolo welcomed the ruling but called the compensation inadequate. “Justice was never about the money. It was about memory, truth, and the right of Nigerians to live without fear.”
Human rights advocates hailed the decision as a landmark step in holding governments accountable for political violence. Makolo called on the Attorney General to enforce the ruling without delay.
“You cannot kill the truth with fire,” he said. “And you cannot silence justice with shame.”
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