Man Sentenced to Death by Hanging Takes Nigeria To ECOWAS Court for Right Violations, Seeks ₦76B Compensation

A legal battle is unfolding at the Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Abuja, as the regional court formally registered a human rights application on July 17, 2025, in Suit No: ECW/CCJ/APP/34/25, brought by Nigerian death row inmate, Orikri Rhahor, against the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The application, filed by Rhahor through his legal counsel, Andrew N. Elekeokwuri, Esq. of Andrew Ewoh & Co., challenges the legitimacy of his trial, conviction, and death sentence handed down by the Delta State High Court in July 2024.

The suit accuses the Nigerian state of gross violations of fundamental human rights guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and binding ECOWAS protocols.

According to court documents, the ECOWAS Court has officially served notice on the Defendant, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice in Abuja.

The government is now mandated to file a defence within 30 days of receipt or risk judgment being entered against it by default.

from prison, and award him the sum of fifty million United States dollars ($50,000,000) as compensation for general, aggravated, and exemplary damages suffered due to the alleged rights violations.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria, as a member state of ECOWAS and a signatory to the relevant international instruments, is bound by the decisions of the regional court. Legal analysts are closely watching the case, warning that a ruling in favour of the Applicant could cast a sharp spotlight on Nigeria’s criminal justice system and its handling of capital cases.

With Nigeria now formally notified and the deadline for its defence ticking, the ECOWAS Court is preparing to hear what may become one of the most consequential human rights cases of the year.

“If the Court finds that the Applicant’s rights were indeed violated and grants the orders requested, it could signal a major precedent for the accountability of national courts under regional law and reaffirm the ECOWAS Court’s role as a last resort for victims of justice gone wrong.”