Decision of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
on Admissibility
Communication 653/17 - Desmond Nunugwo v. Federal Republic of Nigeria
Summary of the Complaint:
1.
The Secretariat of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (the
Secretariat),
Desmond
received
a
Nunugwo
Complaint
(the
on
Victim),
25
February
from
Rose
2017
on
Breivogel
behalf
and
Mr
of
Elizabeth
Baumerich (the Complainants), who are represented by Rechtsanwalt Holger
Hembach of Hembach Legal (the Representative).
2.
The
Complaint
is
submitted
against
the
Federal
Republic
of
Nigeria
(the
Respondent State), State Party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples'
Rights (the African Charter).'
3.
The
Complainants
submit
that
they
are
the
Victim's
sisters,
and
that
they
currently reside in Germany. The Complainants state that the Victim was born
in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1965. They further state that the Victim was Chief Protocol
Officer at the Ministry of Defence of the Respondent State, and died "in the
night of 9/10 June 2016 after being taken
into custody
and
interrogated by
officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)."
4.
The Complainants allege that on 9 June 2016, the Victim went to his attorney's
office to obtain legal
advice on a private matter. They further allege that at
approximately 5 p . m . , operatives of EFCC entered the Jaw office and took the
Victim
to
the
premises
of
EFCC
in
Abuja.
The
Complainants
add
that
"it
appears that he was questioned".
5.
The Complainants aver that about six (6) hours after his detention, the Victim
was
taken
to
an
Complainants add
undisclosed
hospital,
where
he
died
shortly
after.
The
that the Victim was 51 years old and that he had been in
perfect health condition before his detention.
6.
The
Complainants
submit
that
the
EFCC
issued
a
press
release
after
the
Victim's death, stating that the Victim "had fraudulently obtained 91 Million
Nigerian
Naira
(approximately
3,
143,
619
U SO)
from
an
acquaintance
by
le a ding her to belie ve that he coul d invest it in a profitable way in Dub a i . " The
Complain a nts furthe r subm i t that the
had
confessed
tr ansferring
30
to
havi n g
M illion
received
Nigerian
press
the
N aira
release contends that the Victim
money
from
his
ac
to an account in Nor
nee
·
and
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The Federal Republic of Nigeria ratified the African Charter on 22 June 1983.
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