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.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has launched a series of successful operations across Nigeria, resulting in the arrest of prominent individuals and the seizure of significant quantities of illicit drugs.
Among the key arrests are a Lagos socialite, a filmmaker, and university students involved in drug-related activities.
In Lagos, NDLEA operatives arrested a 61-year-old socialite, Alhaja Aishat Feyisara Ajoke Elediye, on New Year’s Day at her mansion in Okota.
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The arrest followed the interception of a truck allegedly transporting a drug consignment linked to her.
According to NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, a white Izuzu truck carrying 44 jumbo sacks containing 1,540 kilograms of imported cannabis was intercepted on January 1.
The truck was driven by Abideen Adio, a staff member of Elediye.
“On the surface, Alhaja Ajoke is a businesswoman who imports fabrics and shoes from China, but beneath is a massive illicit drug trade. She is also recognized as the Iyalaje of Blessing Sisters, an influential club of society women in Lagos,” Babafemi said.
Alhaja Ajoke, known in the drug underworld as “Iya Ruka,” has been on the NDLEA’s wanted list for years due to her alleged leadership of a drug cartel operating out of Mushin, Lagos.
In another high-profile case, NDLEA operatives arrested US-trained filmmaker and motivational speaker Emeka Emmanuel Mbadiwe at a hotel in Lekki, Lagos.
His arrest followed the apprehension of his associate, Uzoekwe Ugochukwu James, earlier on December 27, 2024, at a warehouse in Ajao Estate, Ikeja.
James was reportedly sent by Mbadiwe to collect a shipment of 33 parcels of Loud, a potent strain of cannabis weighing 17.30 kilograms.
The consignment, concealed in wooden boxes, had arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, from the United States on December 24, 2024, aboard a Delta Airlines flight.
In Ilorin, Kwara State, NDLEA operatives arrested two young women—24-year-old Khadijat Abdulraheem, a fresh graduate, and 20-year-old Ayomide Morakinyo, a University of Ilorin student.
The suspects were reportedly producing and selling drug-laced cupcakes to students.
During a search of their residence on December 29, 2024, operatives recovered 42 pieces of the drugged cupcakes.
Sodade Sunday Eniola, an ex-convict previously sentenced to four years in prison for drug trafficking, was arrested again for passport racketeering.
NDLEA operatives at the Lagos airport intercepted 52 passports concealed in shoe soles and food items destined for Canada, Russia, and other countries.
Further investigations led to the arrest of three other suspects—Ayinde Saheed Awwal, Salaudeen Afeez Ayode, and Sheriff Adebayo Bamigbade.
The suspects and exhibits were handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service for further investigation.
In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, NDLEA officers seized 316,800 bottles of codeine-based syrup from two containers during a joint operation with the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies on December 31, 2024.
In Kano, operatives raided a drug den in Dala Local Government Area, recovering 149,090 pills of tramadol and exol-5 on the same day.
The NDLEA also intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, conducting sensitization programs in markets, worship centers, and schools across the country.
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the agency’s officers for their dedication to combating drug trafficking and abuse.
“Their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country, especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts, are well appreciated,” Marwa stated.
A one-day-old baby abandoned along a bush path in the Mpape area of Abuja has been rescued by operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command.
The baby’s mother, who has admitted to the act, is now in police custody.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday, describing the act as deeply concerning.
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According to Adeh, the baby was discovered near Crush Rock, behind the uncompleted Red Bricks Market in Mpape, on Jan. 3.
The discovery followed a distress call to the Mpape Division’s Juvenile and Women Care Section (JWC).
“The operatives responded swiftly and rescued the baby, taking him to Mpape Primary Health Care Center for medical evaluation. Thankfully, the baby is in stable condition,” Adeh stated.
The mother of the child was later arrested after a tip-off from community members. During interrogation, she confessed to abandoning the baby, citing her inability to care for him after being abandoned by her husband.
While condemning the act, Adeh emphasized the police command’s commitment to safeguarding vulnerable members of society. “The rescued baby will be handed over to the Department of Social Welfare for proper care,” she said.
The mother, meanwhile, will face prosecution under the Child Rights Act (CRA), 2003, specifically sections 14 and 16, upon the completion of investigations.
Adeh commended the Mpape community for their vigilance and cooperation, which ensured the baby’s rescue.
She urged residents across the FCT to remain alert and report suspicious activities or emergencies through the command’s emergency lines:
08061581938
08032003913
08028940883
CRU: 08107314192
PCB: 09022222352
A joyous wedding celebration in Jahun Local Government Area of Jigawa State turned into a tragic scene after a bride allegedly poisoned food served at the reception, leading to the death of a guest and leaving the groom critically ill.
Eyewitnesses disclosed that the bride’s alleged actions might have been motivated by a personal vendetta, although the exact cause remains unclear.
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Speaking to reporters on Friday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Shi’isu Adam, confirmed the incident and revealed that an investigation was underway.
“We received a report that the bride had tainted the food served at the wedding reception, leaving the groom critically ill,” Adam said.
He further disclosed that two suspects, the bride and another female, have been arrested in connection with the alleged food poisoning and are currently being interrogated by the Criminal Investigation Department.
“We will do everything in our power to ensure that justice is served,” the police spokesperson assured.
According to Adam, all other wedding attendees who consumed the poisoned food have been treated and discharged from the hospital, except for one individual who tragically lost their life.
He added “The command is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, and we will provide more details as soon as possible. We urge the public to remain calm and assured that justice will be served.”
The identities of the deceased guest, the groom, and other victims have not yet been disclosed by authorities.
As the community grapples with the shocking turn of events, the police have vowed to uncover the truth behind the tragic incident.
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