By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA—The newly appointed Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, ICC, Mrs Fatou Bensouda, yesterday, implored the Federal Government to take the prosecution of suspected members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect very seriously, saying the sect has committed crimes against humanity.
Bensouda who stated this when she led a team of prosecutors to see the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke Bello, SAN, in his office in Abuja, yesterday, decried the increasing spate of violence and wanton destruction of lives and property by the sect, especially in the northern region of the country.
She said the team was in Nigeria on a fact-finding mission, noting that from their findings, though crimes being committed by the Boko Haram sect might be classified as terrorist attacks, "it also qualifies as crimes against humanity which the ICC will not hesitate to prosecute when called upon to do so."
In his response, the AGF, said the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration was poised towards ensuring that those behind the ongoing insurgency were fished out and prosecuted accordingly.
Adoke further expressed the desire of the Federal Government to maintain a close contact with the ICC, even as he tasked the team to hold and foster peace and mutual corporation among leaders of the African Union, AU.
Vanguard Nigeria