Jennifer Ugwueke
With staggering 29,286 confirmed cases,Nigeria has entered the community transmission stage of COVID-19. Thus promoting twenty-five Nigerians to drag China to court, seeking $200 billion in compensation over the outbreak and spread of the pandemic. Coronavirus outbreak began in Wuhan City of China in the latter part of 2019 with the total cases now peaking globally to 11,748,985 within nine months. Over two hundred countries and territories have been affected leaving the global communities in panic and economic crisis with Nigeria standing closely behind South Africa and Egypt in Africa’s epidemic figure.
In a suit filed through their lawyers, the claimants said they are suing China over intrigues played out in the outbreak of Covid-19. The claimants in a suit filed on Monday, July 6, before the Abuja Federal High Court claimed China is culpable in the spread of the pandemic. The Nigerian claimants, represented by eleven Senior Advocates of Nigeria ((SANs) led by Professor Epiphany Azinge (SAN), are suing the defendant, the Chinese governments, for negligence, nuisance, and breach of environmental and humanitarian rights.
According to This Day, the defendants are: Peoples’ Republic of China, Communist Party of China, Minister of Justice China, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan Institute of Virology and Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Minister in charge of the National Health Commission, National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China. The claimants are Kingsley Obioha, Shehu Mohammed Bello, Goodrand Nigeria Limited, Chief Ekene Ebuzeme, Prince Akin Oladipo, Sir Mark Olajide, Mr. Tanko Beji, Chief Victor Nwosa, Chidi Onwuemere, Pasaya Travel and Tours Limited, Trips Shop Limited, Mrs. Susan Akporiaye, Carolyn Asoanya, Jerry Azinge, His Royal Majesty Williams Ezugwu, Ogugua Ogos and others.
Meanwhile, earlier reports showed that in an unprecedented move, a state in the United States of America, Missouri, has decided to sue the Chinese government and other top institutions over the spread of coronavirus pandemic. The state accused China of covering up information, silencing whistleblowers and doing little to stop the spread of the disease. This was disclosed by Missouri attorney general, Eric Schmitt, whole filed the civil lawsuit in federal court in the eastern district of Missouri.