Civil war victims win case against the Federal Government in ECOWAS court.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) court of justice has granted an out of court settlement application for a case concerning the federal government and nine victims of the Nigerian civil war.

It would recalled that in 2012, scores of mine victims of the war filed a law suit against the federal government before the ECOWAS court, requesting an order for the removal of bits and pieces of war instruments stockpiled in 11 states of the south-east, south-south and part of the north-central.

The instruments are said to comprise life bombs, unexploded ordnances (UXO), abandoned unexploded ordnances (AXO) and the explosive remnant of war (ERW).

The victims also requested that the court orders the federal government to rehabilitate the said areas and compensate them for the damages.

Counsel to both parties, filed an application on October 24, for out-of-court settlement, on the ground that they have reached agreeable terms.

At its session today, Monday, the court granted the application, directing the parties to adhere to the terms of the settlement.

Part of the terms of the settlement obtained states that the federal government “undertakes to pay, without delay, compensation in the summer of N50 billion in full and final sum to the victims, their families and communities as contained in Schedule 4(1) to this terms of settlement.

“That FG undertakes to the pay of undertakes to lay a total sum of N38 billion as contained in schedule 4(2) to this terms of settlement for the purposes of carrying out total demining and destruction, rebuilding of public buildings, mine centre activities, construction of class rooms, provision of prosthetics and all other activities enumerated there under.”