Crime
Amnesty International Petitions ICC Over Delayed Nigerian War Crimes Investigation
Amnesty International has filed a petition with the International Criminal Court (ICC), urging pre-trial judges to end the prolonged delay in investigating war crimes and crimes against humanity in Nigeria.
The global human rights organization on Monday, speaking on behalf of victims’ groups, described the delay as unjustifiable and a violation of victims’ rights.
In December 2020, the ICC Prosecutor determined that the criteria for opening an investigation into atrocities committed during the conflict in northeast Nigeria had been met.
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However, four years later, the court has yet to authorize the investigation, leaving victims without justice or closure.
Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, expressed frustration over the inaction.
He said, “Victims of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Nigeria are as entitled to justice as victims of crimes under international law elsewhere. They have already waited too long. Nigeria should not be forgotten by the International Criminal Court.”
Amnesty International criticized the ICC Prosecutor for failing to seek authorization to investigate the crimes, as required under the Rome Statute.
According to the organization, the inaction has placed Nigeria in a “legal limbo,” neither classified as a preliminary examination nor an active investigation.
Sanusi added, “Amnesty International has called for an ICC investigation in Nigeria for years. The Office of the Prosecutor continues to delay, despite its clear legal obligation and its promise to open an investigation. We urge the ICC judges to exercise their oversight power to ensure the Prosecutor acts in conformity with the Rome Statute’s provisions.”
Amnesty also condemned the prosecutor’s failure to explain the delay or prioritize Nigeria’s case.
Sanusi posed a critical question: “The Prosecutor has also failed to justify the deprioritisation of the Nigeria situation, leaving victims and survivors of the conflict waiting with no explanation, nor any certainty, about the Prosecutor’s intended next steps. When is it going to be Nigeria’s turn?”
The petition, filed on behalf of thousands of victims from groups such as the Jire Dole Mothers and Knifar Movement, emphasized the grave human rights abuses committed by both Boko Haram and the Nigerian military since 2009.
Boko Haram has been responsible for mass killings, school attacks, and the abduction of women and children, many of whom have been subjected to forced labor, sexual slavery, and conscription as child soldiers.
The Nigerian military has faced accusations of extrajudicial killings, mass arrests, torture, and the deaths of thousands in custody.
Amnesty further alleged that the ICC Prosecutor’s inaction has effectively put victims’ rights to truth, justice, and reparations on indefinite hold.
The organization called on ICC member states, who are convening for their annual Assembly session, to demand equal attention for all cases before the court, including Nigeria.
The ICC began its preliminary examination of Nigeria’s conflict in 2010 under former Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo.
A decade later, Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda concluded that Boko Haram and the Nigerian military had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity, and that the Nigerian government had failed to adequately investigate or prosecute these violations.
Despite these findings, Amnesty International stressed that no tangible progress has been made.
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo has condemned in strong terms the setting ablaze of some suspected kidnappers by residents of a community in Uromi, East North East Local Government Area.
Describing the act as barbaric and condemn-able, the Governor represented by the Chief Security Officer (CSO), Government House, SP Solomon Osaghale, vowed to ensure that the perpetuators are brought to justice and made to face the full wrath of the law.
He stressed that such a barbaric act is strange in our climes and will not be tolerated in the State.
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SP Osaghale said he was in Uromi at the instance of the Governor to ascertain the level of damage done and to ensure that prompt and full investigation was carried out to ensure justice so as to forestall a reoccurrence.
He revealed that investigations have shown that the people who were killed had boarded a commercial truck and was stopped by members of local security who upon searching of the vehicle, discovered some guns, a situation that led to the mob attack by persons around the vicinity.
While condemning the act, he restated that nobody had the right to take another man’s life, stressing that the nature of the barbaric killing was a cause of concern to the Governor.
SP Oseghale said, “His Excellency, the Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo on getting the news of this incident, directed me to immediately come here and find out what transpired as the news of what happened here is a sign of worry to our Governor whose desire is to create a prosperous State void of dastardly acts like this.
“I can assure you that the people involved in this unprovoked attacked will not go scot -free, as His Excellency has directed the Commissioner of Police to launch a full scale investigation into the matter. As I speak now, over four persons have been arrested for their involvement in this ugly incidence.”
The CSO called for calm, while assuring the law abiding residents of Uromi, especially the Hausa Community in the area to go about their daily activities, as men of the Nigerian police force and other security agencies have been deployed to restore peace and normalcy to the place.
Appreciating the Governor for his swift response, the leader of the Hausa Community in Uromi, Mal Aliyu Haruna, thanked Governor Okpebholo for deploying the CSO and other security personnel to the community.
Haruna acknowledged that their presence has brought calm and reassurance to the Hausa Community in the area, as there was palpable fear and unease in their camp following the unfortunate incidence which he noted has never happened before in the local government.
“We want to sincerely thank the Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo for his swift response to the occurrence of this ugly incidence. I must tell you that this is the first time a thing like this is happening in Uromi and it baffles me because, Uromi people have been so accommodating to us in the Hausa Community.
“Over the years, we have lived peacefully among the indigenes. Our sojourn in this land has spanned over seventy years. I was given birth to here, and so are many other people you are seeing here today,” Haruna said.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared prominent businesswoman and socialite, Aisha Sulaiman Achimugu, wanted over an alleged case of criminal conspiracy and money laundering.
In a public notice released on Friday via the agency’s official X handle, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale called on Nigerians to provide any useful information regarding Achimugu’s whereabouts.
“The public is hereby notified that Aisha Sulaiman Achimugu, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an alleged case of criminal conspiracy and money laundering,” the statement read.
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Achimugu, 51, hails from Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State, with her last known address listed as 6C, Rudolf Close, Maitama, Abuja.
The EFCC urged anyone with relevant information to contact its offices across the country or report to the nearest police station or security agency.
The declaration follows Achimugu’s failure to honor an invitation by the anti-graft agency regarding an ongoing investigation into money laundering and a high-profile investment scam.
According to PUNCH Online, the EFCC had summoned her to appear at its Port Harcourt office on March 5, 2025, for questioning.
The summons, dated March 4, was signed by the agency’s acting zonal director in Port Harcourt, Adebayo Adeniyi, and delivered to her Abuja residence.
“This commission is currently investigating a case in which the need to obtain certain clarification from you becomes imperative. In view of the above, you are kindly requested to attend an interview with the undersigned through the Head of Investigation on Wednesday, 5th March 2025, by 10:00 hours prompt,” the letter stated.
However, rather than appearing before the EFCC, Achimugu reportedly left Nigeria on March 6. Her sudden departure prompted the agency to secure a warrant for her arrest before officially declaring her wanted.
The EFCC has urged members of the public with any information about her location to come forward, assuring that all details provided would be treated with confidentiality.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday, March 24, 2025 busted a Ponzi Scheme Academy and arrested 133 suspects in Abuja.
They were arrested at the Compensation Layout in Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, following actionable intelligence on the existence of the Academy.
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The Academy, named Q University (a.k.a Q-Net) is in the business of recruiting gullible young Nigerians who are trained to recruit more gullible citizens into the scheme with the promise of getting unrealistic profit returns.
The suspects are enrolled into a training codenamed: “Special Training for New Generation Billionaire” and brainwashed to believe that they would graduate into the league of billionaires.
It was gathered that got into the training by obtaining a form the promoters called “Independent Representative Application Form” with promotional slogans such as: “I’m a Champion” “I’m Unstoppable”, “I’m Infinity”, among others.
The EFCC carried out the operation in collaboration with officers and men of 176 Guards Battalion, Nigerian Army.
Items recovered from the suspects include phones, computers and other electronic gadgets.
They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
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