COVID-19: Nigerian Lawyers Slam $200bn Suit On Chinese Govt
- As damages, compensation for deaths, trauma, sufferings
BY CHINYERE OBIORA – For being the birth place of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that is currently ravaging the world and leaving devastating effects on people, some Nigerian lawyers have teamed up to slam a $200 billion suit on the Peoples Republic of China.
In filing a class action suit against the Chinese government, the coaltion of legal experts said they are interested in ensuring that China takes full responsibility for its negligence that now causes Nigerians untold hardship and pains as the virus continues to spread in the country.
According to the group, amount demanded is meant to cover damages and compensation for the “loss of lives, economic strangulation, trauma, hardship, social disorientation, mental torture and disruption of normal daily existence of people in Nigeria.”
Led by Professor Epiphany Azinge (SAN), whose firm, Azinge and Azinge, is championing the action, the Coalition disclosed in a statement that their pleadings for the class action against the Chinese government have already been concluded.
The statement said; “The team of legal experts planned a two phase line of action-: first is with the Federal High Court of Nigeria and secondly to persuade the government of Federal Republic of Nigeria to institute a state action against the Peoples Republic of China at the International Court of Justice at the Hague.’
“The legal experts will be claiming damages to the tune of 200billion dollars the Chinese Government will be served through its Embassy in Nigeria”, the statement said
A former Director General of the Nigeria Institute of Legal Studies (NIALS), Azinge is currently a member of the Commonwealth Arbitral Tribunal (CAT) London, representing Nigeria and Africa.
Interestingly, this suit by Nigerian legal experts seem to be following the footsteps of the State of Missouri that has already sued the Chinese government over the Coronavirus pandemic.
In the lawsuit, authorities in Missouri are seeking to hold the Chinese government officially responsible for “deceit, concealment and inaction” that allowed the virus to breakout uncontrollably and ravage the world.
Filed in an American Federal Court by the State’s top lawyer, the suit claimed that Chinese officials are “responsible for the enormous death, suffering, and economic losses they inflicted on the world, including Missourians”.
They further alleged that the Chinese government lied to the world about the danger and contagious nature of COVID-19, silenced whistleblowers, and did little to stop the spread of the disease.
It also accuses the Chinese government of making the pandemic worse by “hoarding” masks and other personal protective equipment. – With agency reports