In a statement the Prosecutor of the ICC, Fatou Bensouda, reminded the politicians that the court had jurisdiction over Rome Statute crimes committed on the territory of Nigeria or by Nigerian nationals from 1 July 2002 onwards.
The ICC’s call is coming at a time that the oil rich nation is battling to contain insurgency in the north-east, propagated by the members of a terrorist group, the Boko Haram.
‘Shock The Conscience Of Humanity’
“Crimes under the jurisdiction of the ICC have already been committed in this context, as reflected in my Office’s preliminary examination report published in December 2014.
“Further analysis is on-going to determine the next steps that my Office should take in accordance with its duties under the Rome Statute,” the ICC Prosecutor said .
The court pointed out that experience had shown that electoral competition, when gone astray, could give rise to violence and in the worst case scenarios, even trigger the commission of mass crimes that “shock the conscience of humanity”.
It warned that “any person who incites or engages in acts of violence including by ordering, requesting, encouraging or contributing in any other manner to the commission of crimes within ICC’s jurisdiction is liable to prosecution either by Nigerian Courts or by ICC”.
“No one should doubt my resolve, whenever necessary, to prosecute individuals responsible for the commission of ICC crimes,” Bensouda warned.
The ICC would be sending a team to Nigeria prior to the elections to further engage with the authorities and encourage the prevention of crimes.
Few weeks ago, the presidential candidates of some parties in Nigeria signed a peace accord to ensure Violence-Free Elections.
All the efforts are geared towards forestalling a repeat of post-election violence, the kind that occurred mostly in the northern part of Nigeria in 2011 after the result of the presidential election was declared.
Nigeria’s elections will hold on February 14 and 28.
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