Zaki Biam Victims Reject N8 Billion Settlement

Nnamdi Felix / Abuja

Victims of Nigeria’s army invasion of Zaki Biam community in Benue State on Thursday stormed the Federal High Court in Abuja to reject the purported agreement between the Federal Government and the Benue state government to pay N8 billion as out of court settlement instead of the N41. 8 billion judgment awarded in their favour by a federal high court.

Addressing judicial correspondents, the victims lawyers, Mr. Sebastine Hon, a senior advocate of Nigeria and Chris Alashi, said that the Benue State Government was not a party to the suit and has no legal basis to discuss the settlement of the case on behalf of the victims.

The lawyers categorically stated that whatever settlement the Federal Government and the Benue State Government have reached is not binding on the victims who have rejected same without the slightest equivocation.

“Our clients were neither consulted nor did they consent to the terms of that so called settlement. The intentions and actions of the Benue State Government, which we concede may have been for good purposes, are with respect not binding on our clients.”

Two of the victims had their hands chopped off while the private parts of two others were severed by the irate soldiers.

The victims said that the entire Tiv nation were not ready to accept any amount other than the judgment debt of N41.8billion awarded over six years ago in their favour.

Some of the victims died before the case was concluded.

They called on President Goodluck Jonathan to direct all relevant agencies of the Federal Government to as a matter of utmost urgency take step to satisfy the judgment debt of N41.8 billion.

It will be recalled that a Federal High Court had in 2007 made a garnishee decree absolute that the Federal Government should pay the entire judgment sum within 10 days.