CHIEF PROSECUTOR MEETS PRESIDENT JONATHAN; ASSURES HIM THAT NIGERIA IS NOT UNDER INVESTIGATION DESPITE BOKO HARAM ATTACKS

Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda met with President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday assuring him that the Nigerian government was not under investigation as it was already carrying out its responsibility of investigating and prosecuting any crimes in the country,

Mrs Bensouda also explained that the ICC was not targeting Africa, noting that all cases on the continent, apart from Kenya, were originated by Africans and this was good for the victims of such crime

Behind closed doors President Goodluck Jonathan had stated unequivocally that Nigeria does not encourage impunity, and will cooperate with the ICC to check it

And to demonstrate that his administration had nothing to hide’, the President directed the Attorney-General and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to ensure that the ICC Chief Prosecutor received all the support and cooperation required to make her visit to Nigeria a fruitful one


He drew Mrs. Bensouda’s attention to the ICC’s involvement in five situations in Africa, with the attendant criticism from the continent, and called on the Chief Prosecutor to use her experience in the Court to resolve potential areas of conflict or disagreement

But Mrs Bensouda is quick to debunk speculations that Africa, especially its leaders is being targeted by the ICC

And though she says Nigeria is not under investigation, the ICC Chief Prosecutor says she is in the country to brief the President on the preliminary examinations that have been taking place by her office over the past four to five years now regarding the trouble in the middle belt area

Recent terror attacks by Boko Haram could also qualify as crimes against humanity, but Mrs Bensouda says ICC is not court of such instance but a court of last resort. 

As long as Nigerian government is taking steps to address these crimes, the chief prosecutors says the ICC will not intervene

As the chief Prosecutor of the ICC meets with relevant stakeholders in the country over the next few days, President Jonathan is urging greater engagement by the ICC with the AU in order to create the enabling environment for cooperation towards the realization of the Court’s laudable objectives.

Afterall, President Jonathan says the African Union’s Constitutive Instruments do not condone impunity