The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP ) has asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to wade into the increasing cases of election violence across in Nigeria.
SERAP in a petition by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, sent to Mr Karim Khan, QC, Prosecutor, ICC, at the weekend, said if proper measures are not taken to address the situation, it may escalate and lead to post-election violence in the country ahead of the 2023 general polls.
Oluwadare appealed to Mr Khan to urgently send the ICC legal team to Nigeria to promote free and fair elections, and gather potential proof of election-related violence before, during and after the general elections.
This followed the reports of election-related violence in several states including; Lagos, Rivers, and Kaduna states. Over 4,000 cases of violent attacks and 11,000 fatalities were reported across the country between January 1, 2022 and February 3, 2023.
In the petition, the organization said: “These cases reflect the gravest election-related crimes in several states ahead of the general elections.”
SERAP said, “Based on these cases and other similar cases and trends of election violence, we believe that opening an investigation into the situation in Nigeria will be in the interests of justice.”
The petition, read in part: “SERAP urges you to seek authorisation from the ICC Chamber to commence an investigation into the situation in Nigeria in relation to election-related violence that may be committed during and after the elections scheduled for February and March 2023.
“SERAP also urges you to identify the suspected perpetrators of election-related violence and those individuals who bear the greatest responsibility for encouraging or facilitating these crimes and to ensure their effective prosecution by the ICC.
“These are not isolated acts, but part of growing cases of election violence, thus constituting crimes against humanity.
“Seeking authorisation from the ICC Chamber to commence an investigation in relation to election-related violence that may be committed after the general elections is consistent with Article 53(1)(a) of the Rome Statute which allows investigation into ‘a crime which has been or is being committed.’”
“SERAP notes that the Prosecutor has consistently relied on the provisions of Article 15 of the Rome Statute and Regulation 49 of the ICC to investigate cases of election-related violence in other countries, including Cote d’Ivoire and Kenya.
“The requested investigation is neither frivolous nor politically motivated. Cases of election-related violence are rarely investigated by the Nigerian authorities. Nigerian authorities are unwilling or unable genuinely to carry out the investigation or prosecution.
“The escalating cases of election-related violence in Nigeria meet the requirements of the Rome Statute and provide reasonable basis for you to promptly commence an investigation, particularly given the gravity of these cases and the interests of victims.
“It is necessary to ensure that any request for authorisation covers investigation into ongoing and continuing election-related crimes during and after the elections, especially given the volatile political environment in the country and the entrenched impunity for these crimes.
“The incidents of election-related violence strike at the integrity of the democratic process in the country, and undermine the right of Nigerians to participate in their own government.”
