OTP Report on On-going Preliminary Examination of the situation…

Press statement: Release date 7th August 2013

Nigeria Coalition for the International Criminal Court (NCICC) commends the landmark report of the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on its on-going preliminary examination of the situation in North Eastern Nigeria.

Based on information available to the OTP up to December 2012, the office has determined that there is reasonable ground to believe that crimes against humanity have been committed in Nigeria by Boko Haram, a militant group operating mainly in North Eastern Nigeria since July, 2009. Boko Haram has been found to have committed the following acts constituting crimes against humanity:

(i) Murder under Article 7(1)(a); and

(ii) Persecution under Article 7(1)(h) of the Rome Statute of the ICC;

The prosecutor has therefore, decided that the preliminary examination of the situation in Nigeria should advance to phase 3 (admissibility) with a view to assessing whether the Nigerian government is conducting genuine proceedings against the perpetrators of these crimes.

This is second of the four phases in the Prosecutor’s preliminary examination of the situation in Nigeria. The completion of all phases will determine whether the prosecutor will enter a full investigation.

NCICC applaud these findings and call on the ICC to continue in their unrelenting efforts in order to bring the perpetrators to justice.

NCICC is also calling on the ICC to look into pending petitions filed by NCICC concerning crimes against humanity and genocide in North Central Nigeria, particularly in Plateau State, as a firm decision is required to ensure justice to the victims and end impunity in Nigeria.

Chino Obiagwu, Chair Steering committee of NCICC

Dr Abiola Akiyode, Vice Chair NCICC

Mrs Oby Nwankwo, Treasurer NCICC

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