#BokoHaram sponsorship: @IntlCrimCourt may investigate Ihejirika and @AliModuSheriff

by Kolapo Olapoju

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has stated that it will review the petition demanding an investigation of former Borno State governor, Ali Modu Sheriff and retired Nigerian Army Chief of Staff Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika, over their alleged connection to Boko Haram.

The pair have been accused of having affiliations and even funding Islamic terrorist sect, Boko Haram.

Australian hostage negotiator, Stephen Davis, – who worked with the Nigerian government to negotiate a release of the kidnapped Chibok girls, – had in August, accused Sheriff and Ihejirika of financing the insurgents.

Apparently, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), a non-governmental organization wrote a petition to the ICC, asking the body to investigate the claims against the duo, saying that the Nigerian government “lacks the political will and judicial independence to prosecute the individuals”.

The petition signed by Chairman of HEDA, Olanrewaju Suraju stated thus: “With your public admittance of Boko Haram’s activities as qualifying for crimes against humanity, we shall not bother with further legal points to qualify these atrocities under the Rome Statute.”

“It is also instructive to assert that the Nigerian government, under the current leadership lacks the political will and judicial independence to prosecute the individuals who are friends and former subordinates of the President.”

Furthermore, the petition read, “We hereby urge the ICC to urgently open immediate examination of this development by inviting Rev. Stephen Davis to provide insight into his revelations, to assist the court in its investigation and possible prosecution of those connected with the crimes.”

While responding to the request, the Head of Information and evidence unit, Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC, M. P. Dillon, wrote back to HEDA, confirming that the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court had received the petition.

The letter stated, “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.”

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