Afimag.com –
The International Criminal Court (ICC), on March 28, 2023, acknowledged the receipt of an entreaty calling for investigation of election and post-election violence in Nigeria.
The petitioner, Dr Gideon Christian further alleged incitement of rancour on Igbo extraction by Mr Bayo Onanuga, the Media Director of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign and President-elect, Bola Tinubu.
Recall that Christian who is a Nigerian law Professor, recently, petitioned the ICC over the attacks against some ethnic nationalities, particularly, Igbos and the likes in Lagos.
In a petition titled, ‘Request to Investigate the Election and Post-Election Violence in Nigeria as Well as Incitement to Ethnic Hate by Mr. Bayo Onanuga’ Christian invited the Office of the prosecutor to carry out an investigation into various forms of ethnically motivated violence resulting in injuries and death during the just concluded presidential and governorship elections in Nigeria.
The petitioner accused Onanuga of issuing a threat via Twitter warning individuals from the Igbo ethnic group that 2023 would be the last time to interfer in Lagos politics.
According to him, facilitating aggression against individuals from a a respective ethnic group dwelling in a particular area was a clear violation of international law.
He added that the international community must not only take action to deter such acts from further occurrence, it should also hold individuals involved in such international wrongdoing responsible.
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The petition which was brought Pursuant to Article 15 of the Rome Statute, partly read, “Pursuant to art.15 of the Rome Statute, please accept this communication to the International Criminal Court (the Court) requesting the Office of the Prosecutor to conduct an investigation into series of ethnically motivated violence resulting in injuries and death during the just concluded Presidential and Governorship elections in Nigeria.
“The European Union Election Observer Mission in Nigeria which observed both elections, in their interim report on 20th March 2023 noted multiple incidents of ‘organised violent attacks’ which resulted in ‘many casualties and fatalities.”
In its response, the ICC acknowledged the receipt of the Christian’s Transmission in a letter dated March 27, 2023, with reference number OTP-CR-109/23, and signed by Mark P. Dillon, Head of Information & Evidence Unit, Office of The Prosecutor.
The letter which Christian posted on his Twitter handle on Tuesday morning reads, “The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court acknowledges receipt of your documents/letter.
“This communication has been duly entered in the Communications Register of the Office. We will give consideration to this communication, as appropriate, in accordance with the provisions of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
“Please note this acknowledgement letter does not mean an investigation has been opened, or that an investigation will be opened by the Office of the Prosecutor. As soon as a decision is reached, we will inform you, in writing, and provide you with reasons for this decision.”
