ICC lists Nigeria for possible war crimes, indicts Army, B’Haram
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has outlined 10 possible cases it could press against Nigerian security forces and the three factions of insurgent groups operating under the popular name of Boko Haram.
This is just as the country has continued to defend its territorial integrity against terrorist groups.
The ICC prosecutor listed Nigeria among 11 countries being probed for alleged war and international human rights crimes in its end of the year report on preliminary examination activities.
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Nigeria is among those in phase three of the investigation stages dealing with admissibility, which is the last stage before the conclusion of investigation under the ICC processes.
The report, dated December 5, 2019, explained that the office of the prosecutor has examined information regarding a wide range of crimes allegedly committed in Nigeria, since 2010.
According to the international prosecutor, Boko Haram and its leaders, may have to answer for “targeted attacks against the civilian population; abductions and imprisonment of civilians; among others.
Others are attacks against girls and women; attacks against building dedicated to religion; and attacks against personnel or objects involved in humanitarian assistance.
In the second category levelled against the Nigerian security forces, ICC specifically accused the forces of “killing, torture or ill-treatment of military-aged males suspected to be Boko Haram members or supporters in northeast Nigeria.”
IThe court is also looking into alleged “Attacks against the civilian population and the recruitment, use of children under 15 to participate in hostilities.”
The ICC had earlier done reports on how men in the northeast, particularly Borno State went missing after being arrested by the military.
Aside, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) also accused the Federal Government of being docile over the Boko Haram attacks, yet the Federal Government insisted it is doing its best to curtail insurgency.
Other cases being investigated alongside that of Nigeria include those in Venezuela, Colombia, Guinea, Iraq/UK, Palestine, Republic of Philippines, Ukraine and Bangladesh/Myanmar.
