Credit:  ICC.int /  ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda & Vice President of Nigeria, H.E. Yemi Osinbajo in Abuja, Nigeria Oct. 14, 2019.

DIPLOMATIC TIMES STAFF

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Fatou Bensouda  visited Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria last week and met with the Vice President of Nigeria, H.E. Mr Yemi Osinbajo, to discuss the Government’s support and cooperation with the preliminary examination of the situation in Nigeria currently being conducted by the Office of the Prosecutor. It was her fourth mission to this situation country.  During her two-day visit, the ICC Prosecutor  reiterated her commitment to this process, and updated the Vice President on the status of the preliminary examination  of alleged crimes against humanity or war crimes committed in the Niger Delta, the Middle-Belt States and in the context of armed conflict between Boko Haram and Nigerian security forces in Nigeria. 

Procedural history and focus of the preliminary examination

The preliminary examination of the situation in Nigeria was made public on 18 November 2010. The OTP has received numerous communications under article 15 of the Rome Statute in relation to the situation in Nigeria. The preliminary examination focusses on alleged Rome Statute crimes committed in the Niger Delta, the Middle-Belt States and in the context of armed conflict between Boko Haram and Nigerian security forces, including the crimes against humanity of murder and persecution, and multiple war crimes. The preliminary examination also focuses on the existence and genuineness of national proceedings in relation to these crimes.

Credit: ICC.int /  ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda & Vice President of Nigeria, H.E. Yemi Osinbajo in Abuja, Nigeria Oct. 14, 2019.

 The Vice-President reaffirmed Nigeria’s firm commitment to the ICC and assured of its continued cooperation with the Office.

The Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC conducts “independent and impartial”  preliminary examinations, investigations and prosecutions of the crime of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. Since 2003, the Office has been conducting investigations in multiple situations within the ICC’s jurisdiction, namely in Uganda; the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Darfur, Sudan; the Central African Republic (two distinct situations); Kenya; Libya; Côte d’Ivoire; Mali; Georgia and Burundi. The Office is also currently conducting preliminary examinations relating to the situations in Colombia; Guinea; Iraq/UK; Palestine; the Philippines; Nigeria; Ukraine, and Venezuela.