ECOWAS Court nullifies removal of Commissioner Nazifi Abdullahi Darma

The ECOWAS Court has ruled that the removal of Professor Nazifi Abdullahi Darma, Nigeria’s former Commissioner for Internal Affairs, was unlawful. The court nullified the decision made in October 2025 by the former President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, to withdraw Darma’s responsibilities as a disciplinary measure.

In its judgment, the court found there was no vacancy in the position and that Darma was entitled to serve until the end of the extended tenure in August 2026. The court awarded Darma US$50,000 in damages and ordered the respondents to pay all outstanding salaries, allowances, and financial entitlements owed during his tenure, as well as the reasonable costs of the legal proceedings.