Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana has lashed out at Nigeria and other West African nations for failing to comply with judgments of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice.
He condemned the countries disobeying judgement issued by the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, saying it didn’t turn out well for many such individuals in the past.
Falana’s remarks follow a recent statement by President Bola Tinubu during the 50th-anniversary celebration of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) held in Lagos. Tinubu had lauded the regional body for promoting democratic principles, strengthening institutions, and fostering governance centred on accountability and the rule of law.
In a statement issued on Sunday, June 1, Falana said the reality contradicts Tinubu’s claims, noting that ECOWAS leaders have consistently undermined the authority of the court. “With respect, the ECOWAS leaders have failed to uphold democratic norms and rule of law. Hence, the region has continued to witness unconstitutional change of government,” he stated.
Falana pointed to official data from the ECOWAS court as of December 2024, which shows Nigeria with the highest number of unenforced judgments at 44. Togo follows with 27, Guinea 15, Mali 10, Sierra Leone 9, and several other countries with fewer outstanding judgments.
He argued that these member states, including Nigeria, have treated the court’s decisions with “disdain” and “without any legal and political justification whatsoever.” Falana noted the irony that some former West African leaders who once disregarded the court’s rulings later turned to the same court seeking protection for their rights after leaving office. He cited examples such as Charles Taylor of Liberia, Laurent Gbagbo of Côte d’Ivoire, Boni Yayi of Benin, Mamadou Tanja of Niger, and Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso.
Falana also referenced the case of Mrs Doe, the widow of former Liberian leader Samuel Doe, who secured a judgment from the ECOWAS court, reinforcing the court’s role in providing justice.
He highlighted Article 24 of the ECOWAS court protocol, which mandates each member state to designate a national authority to ensure the enforcement of its rulings. Nigeria, he said, appointed the attorney-general and minister of justice for this role in 2014.
Expressing dismay over Nigeria’s non-compliance, Falana described it as “the height of embarrassment,” especially as President Tinubu currently chairs the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, the body’s highest organ.
He called on Tinubu to act swiftly by directing the Attorney-General, Lateef Fagbemi, to ensure Nigeria complies with the court’s judgments without further delay.
