ICC To Start Investigating, Arresting Boko Haram Members, Others

Following conclusion of its preliminary examination of war crimes in Nigeria, the Prosecution of the International Criminal Court (ICC), is awaiting authorization by the judges of the Pre-Trial Chamber before investigating non-state actors like Boko-haram terror group and other splinter groups as well as security operatives.

ICC prosecutor, Mrs Fatou Bensouda, disclosed this in press release on Tuesday.

“The Office is also currently conducting preliminary examinations relating to the situations in Bolivia; Guinea; Venezuela I; and Venezuela II; and has completed its preliminary examinations of the situations in Ukraine and Nigeria, which are pending requests to seek authorisation to proceed to investigation, and in the situation in the Philippines, which is pending judicial authorization,” the statement partly read.

If the prosecutor’s request is approved, the ICC judges will then issue an arrest warrant against identified suspects (the ICC will rely on Nigeria to make arrests and transfer suspects to court).

The judges may also ask the suspects to appear voluntarily.

THE WHISTLER earlier reported that on December 11, 2020, Bensouda said her office had concluded examination of crimes against humanity and war crimes perpetuated by non-state actors and security officials.

She said her office, “has concluded that there is a reasonable basis to believe that members of Boko Haram and its splinter groups have committed the following acts constituting crimes against humanity and war crimes…” and that “we have also found a reasonable basis to believe that members of the Nigerian Security Forces (“NSF”) have committed the following acts constituting crimes against humanity and war crimes: murder, rape, torture, and cruel treatment.”

The examination by ICC started since 2013 and its findings have been reviewed at different times till December 2020.

According to an Amnesty International report, Boko Haram killed 5,500 civilians between 2014 and the first three months of 2015.

As of 2021, over 2 million residents in the North-east have been displaced by the terror group.