ECOWAS Court Dismisses NGOs’ Lawsuit Against Nigeria Over Lagdo Dam Flooding

The ECOWAS Court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by two Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) accusing Nigeria of failing to prevent the devastating effects of the 2012 and 2022 Lagdo Dam floodings.

The suit, filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Prince and Princess Charles Offokaja Foundation (Nigeria) and its Swiss counterpart, alleged that Nigeria’s failure to build a dam in Adamawa to control water overflow from Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam violated citizens’ rights.

The NGOs argued that this negligence led to widespread flooding, loss of lives, displacement, and economic and educational disruptions across 14 states.

They further claimed that constructing the dam would have helped regulate water flow, reducing flood risks while also supporting irrigation and electricity generation.

However, in a ruling delivered on Friday, presiding judge Justice Sengu Koroma dismissed the case entirely.

The court ruled that the Swiss-based NGO lacked the legal standing to sue, while the Nigerian-registered organisation failed to meet the criteria for public interest litigation.

The judgment stated that while the plaintiffs referred to the affected population as “the Nigerian people,” they did not provide a clear or identifiable group of victims whose rights had been violated.

The court also acknowledged its jurisdiction over human rights cases but emphasized that the NGOs’ failure to demonstrate a direct violation weakened their claim.

Nigeria, in its defense, argued that it had taken various measures to mitigate flooding, including feasibility studies dating back to 1982, constructing additional dams, and securing Senate approval for the dredging of the Niger and Benue rivers.

The government also highlighted an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Cameroon for coordinated water resource management.

The federal government urged the court to dismiss the case, stating that the applicants had not proven specific instances of rights violations or identifiable victims.

The case was decided by a three-member panel consisting of Justice Sengu Koroma, Justice Dupe Atoki, and Justice Edward Asante.

KanyiDaily recalls that ECOWAS had previously dismissed accusations made by the Niger Republic, which claimed that Nigeria was involved in terrorism activities.