ICC investigates Oba of Lagos over anti-Igbo comments

An investigation into the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, has begun, by the International Criminal Court, over the threatening comments he made to the Igbos, during the days leading to the Lagos governorship election.

Oba Rilwan Akiolu had vowed that Igbos in Lagos who voted against Akinwunmi Ambode, would sink in the Lagos Lagoon.

Josef Onoh, the son of a late former governor of old Anambra State, had on April 21, petitioned the ICC on the statement made by the monarch.

Premium Times reports that the ICC had responded with an acknowledgement of the receipt of Onoh’s petition and promised to give consideration to his request.

Onoh had written: “Had the threat been made by any lesser person we would have dismissed same as an idle threat, but coming from the Oba of Lagos himself, it was a call to arms and an incitement to violence against the Igbos.”

In a follow-up response to Onoh’s petition on August 13 2015, ICC’s Head of the Information & Evidence unit in the office of the prosecutor, M.P. Dillion, said they were analyzing the situation identified in his petition with the assistance of other related communications and other available information.

The ICC letter to Onoh with reference number OTP-CR-140/15, reads: “Under article 53 of the Rome statute, the prosecutor must consider whether there is a reasonable basis to believe that crimes within the jurisdiction of the court have been committed, the gravity of the crimes, whether national systems are investigating and prosecuting the relevant crimes, and the interests of justice.”

“This communication has been duly entered in the communications register of the office.”

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