President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Justice Stella Anukam on her re-election as a Judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights for another term of six years.
In a statement on Saturday by his spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the president said Anukam was re-elected at the African Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting Executive Council in Accra, Ghana, on Friday.
“President Tinubu commends Justice Anukam for her contributions to the development of human rights jurisprudence on the continent and enjoins her to continue to bring her invaluable knowledge and insights to the African Court.
“The President states that his administration will continue to support the candidature of competent and qualified Nigerians for international positions, noting the country’s strategic importance in the global community."
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Anukam obtained her law degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (formerly known as University of Ife), Osun, Nigeria, in 1984, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in August 1985.
She is also a Chartered Secretary, Chartered Arbitrator, and a seasoned administrator.
Anukam had served as former Director of Special Programmes at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in Abuja and as former Director of the International and Comparative Law Department of the Federal Ministry of Justice.
The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights is a continental court established by African states to ensure the protection of human and people’s rights in Africa.
It complements the functions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The court is composed of eleven Judges nominated by member states of the AU and elected by the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government.
Nigeria is a state party to the Protocol establishing the court, having ratified it in 2004.