ICC begins probe of Nigerian Army, Boko Haram on human rights abuses

The International Criminal Court, has commenced the process of investigating human rights abuses allegedly perpetrated by the Nigerian Army.

The Nigerian military has been accused of extra-judicial killings as well as unjustified and inhumane incarceration by local and international groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

The court is also expected to investigate human rights abuses by Boko Haram, the crude Islamic terrorist sect that has killed over 20,000 people in Nigeria since it began waging war on the country in 2009.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has said he’s aware of the eight case files opened against Nigeria by the ICC.

He stated this on Wednesday, when he received a delegation from the office of Madame Fatou Bensouda, the ICC Prosecutor.

The Minister said six of the alleged cases were committed by the Boko Haram sect, while the remaining two were acts allegedly carried out by the Nigerian Armed Forces.

Malami however, insisted that Nigeria had the rights to handle alleged crimes referred to in the prosecutor’s 2015 report of activities in the country.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Salihu Isah, the minister was quoted to have assured the delegation that the Nigerian Army had conducted its operations in the North East of the country in a highly professional manner, while inculcating best practices in the areas of international human rights.

Responding to the Nigerian Minister, Phakiso Choko, said the prosecutor will not compromise the sovereign rights of Nigeria in investigating crimes and meting out punishment.

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