Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has filed a $10 million suit against the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice over alleged violations of his fundamental rights during successive military administrations.
Gatekeepers News reports that the suit, marked ECW/CCJ/APP/30/2026, was filed in Abuja. Falana is asking the regional court to declare that his alleged arrests, detentions, abduction and restrictions on his movement were unlawful.
He is seeking $10 million in damages for alleged violations of his rights to personal liberty, dignity, fair hearing, property and freedom of movement under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and applicable ECOWAS legal instruments.
According to the application, Falana’s confrontation with the authorities began during his National Youth Service Corps programme in Oyo State between 1982 and 1983. He had represented University of Ibadan students who were charged with conspiracy and attempted murder following a dispute involving the university’s vice-chancellor.
Falana alleged that although he completed his service, the authorities withheld his NYSC discharge certificate because he represented the students without official permission. The students eventually won the case.
He also alleged that armed agents of the then National Security Organisation arrested him at the Lagos State High Court in June 1985, searched his law chambers without a warrant and detained him for seven weeks at an NSO facility in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Falana said he was released on August 30, 1985, following the military coup that brought Ibrahim Babangida to power. He later appeared before a panel established to investigate cases of detention but disputed the explanation given for his detention.
The lawyer further alleged that he was abducted from his Lagos residence in April 1990 by officials he identified as State Security Service personnel. He said he was driven towards the Lagos-Epe road and abandoned in a bush before finding his way to Epe.
He also alleged that the SSS stopped him from travelling to Harare, Zimbabwe, for a human rights conference in October 1991 and seized his international passport for six months.
The suit also covers Falana’s arrest in May 1992 alongside Beko Ransome-Kuti and Baba Omojola. He alleged that they were detained and later transferred to Kuje Correctional Centre.
Falana said a court ordered his release in June 1992 but that the military government failed to comply with the order. He and the other activists were subsequently charged with conspiracy and treasonable felony over an alleged attempt to overthrow the military government.
He further alleged that he, the late Gani Fawehinmi and Ransome-Kuti were arrested and prosecuted after opposing the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. The charges included conspiracy, sedition and incitement, while Falana said court orders granting bail were initially disobeyed.
The application also recounts further arrests and detentions between 1994 and 1998 in connection with Falana’s human rights advocacy, labour activities, international engagements and his work concerning the trial of Ken Saro-Wiwa and other Ogoni activists.
Falana is asking the ECOWAS court to make declarations on the alleged violations and award him $10 million in damages. The claims remain matters for determination by the court.
