After ECOWAS court judgement, FG agrees to pay N88 billion compensation to victims of Biafra war

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October 31, 2017 at 08:51AM
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Nnenna Ibeh

- The Nigerian government has agreed to pay a N88 billion compensation to the 1967-1970 victims of war

- The federal government also promised to complete the demining and destruction of bombs and explosive littered in the southeast, southsouth and north central region of Nigeria

- FG said it agreed to release the funds because of its consciousness of unexploded bombs and other remnants of war littered around the regions

The federal government of Nigeria has agreed to pay the sum of N88 billion as compensation to victims of the 1967-1970 Biafra-Nigeria civil war, Vanguard reports.

The government also said it will completed the demining and destruction of abandoned explosives littered around the southeast, southsouth and north central region of Nigeria.

In a agreement document signed by both parties and adopted by the ECOWAS court as its consent judgement - two firms RSB Holdings Nigeria Limited and Deminers Concept Nigeria Limited were contracted to carry out the demining process in these regions.

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The companies which were contracted in 2009 will ensure that all the affected areas will be cleared of any kind of explosive devices.

The document also said that after a medical exercise was conducted, experts were employed to identify the true victims of war.

It said: “All the parties to this suit acknowledge that 685 persons were selected and classified as survivors while 493 of them were confirmed as victims of either landmines or other dangerous military ordnance including locally fabricated weapons, hence entitled to compensation including their families and communities."

While a total of 17,000 bombs were recovered and destroyed by the contractors, the document also said that 1,317 explosives are still in the stockpile at the Mine Action Center in Owerri, Imo state.

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It also added that a large quantity of live bombs were littered in the applicants communities.

Also, the federal government opted for an out of court settlement on the matter.

FG said it agreed to release the funds because of its consciousness of unexploded bombs and other remnants of war in the regions.

It said having reviewed the issue, it took full cognizance of the situation and threats the bombs posed to the applicants and their communities.

The states listed to benefit from the compensation which affected the regions include: Anambra, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Ebonyi, Cross River, Abia, Enugu and Benue states.

In the deal, a N50 billion compensation would be paid to the United Bank of Africa account No. 1018230076 nominated by counsel to the victims, Chief Noel Agwuocha Chukwukadibia & Co while the remaining N38bn would be paid into Deminers Concept Nig. Ltd UBA account No. 1016296801, belonging to the contractors.

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NAIJ.com earlier reported that the ECOWAS Court of Justice had ordered the federal government to pay N88 billion to the southeast, southsouth and north central region over damages caused during the war.

The court in also ordered the FG to commence clearing and evacuation of the aftermath of war within 45 days.

The court's judgement followed an application against the federal government by hundred of landmine victims before the ECOWAS Court.

The victims in the suit claimed a N100 billion as compensation and general damages from the federal government.

I was 21 when I joined the Biafran army - confessions of Nigeria’s Civil War veteran - on NAIJ.com TV

Source: Naija.ng

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After ECOWAS court judgement, FG agrees to pay N88 billion compensation to victims of Biafra war
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