The International Criminal Court, ICC, has commenced the process of investigating human rights abuses by the Nigerian military and Boko Haram terrorists.
Nigeria’s military over the years of conflict has been accused of illegal detention and massacres of citizens and suspected Boko Haram terrorists by local and international right organizations.
The Baga massacre of 2013 and the Giwa barracks massacres are two prominent incidents when the Nigerian army was strongly criticized of crimes against humanity.
The ICC will be probing 8 cases in the regard. 2 cases of violations against the Nigerian army and 6 cases against Boko Haram, Phakiso Choko, the prosecutor said, maintaining that the court did not intend to compromise the sovereign rights of Nigeria in its investigations and meting out punishment.
Defending Nigeria, the Attorney general of the federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, while receiving a delegation from the office of Madame Fatou Bensouda, the ICC Prosecutor, said Nigeria maintains highest standards and other stuff.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Salihu Isah, Malami assured the delegation that “Nigeria had high value for its relationship with the ICC and that the Nigerian Army had conducted its operations in the North East of the country in a highly professional manner, imbibing best practices in the areas of international human rights.”
The rights organisation said it only investigates cases that Nigeria cannot internally solve.
