ICRAN DRAGS ISHAKU, ORTOM TO ICC

A civil society organisation, Initiative for Civil Rights Advancement in Nigeria, ICRAN, has dragged the governors of Taraba and Benue states, Darius Ishaku and Samuel Ortom, to the International Criminal Court (ICC), for their poor handling of the crisis between suspected herdsmen and farmers in their states.

ICRAN in a petition said it appeared that so much stories were being cooked up and sold to security agencies and the media in Nigeria as to what must have prompted the gruesome killings.

The petition was signed by Yakubu Bulama the information officer for ICRAN and addressed to the office of Madame Fatou Bensouda, the prosecutor, ICC. The group in the petition narrated events that led to the crisis along border axis of Taraba and Benue state.

The group is disenchanted that Governor Ortom who is the Chief Security Officer of Benue State saddled with the duty of protecting his people has abdicated his duty and failed in all ramifications to deliver the dividends of governance. He said the Governor Ortom has become so obsessed with the pursuit of his second term ambition that he now cares less about the security and welfare of Benue people, which Section 14 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) clearly made “the primary purpose of government.

“It is safe to posit that the coordinated attacks launched by Fulani herdsmen on Benue indigenes this time around is centered on the selfish actions and inactions of Governor Ortom. The attacks have nothing to do with implementation of the Benue Anti-Open Grazing Law, 2017

The group also prayed the ICC to open an investigation on the accused persons according to Article 15 (1) of the Rome Statute.

ICRAN also urged the ICC to formerly submit to the pre-trial chamber of the court a request for authorization of an investigation of the accused under Article 15 (3) of the Rome Statute.

“That the ICC Prosecutor compels the Accused upon conviction to pay compensation to the victims of genocide at Guma and Logo Local Government Areas of Benue state as well as Mambilla Plateau in Sardauna local government area of Taraba state in the sum of $1,000,000,000 (One Billion US Dollars) each as punitive damages.

“That the ICC Prosecutor compels the Federal Government of Nigeria to set up a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the allegations contained herein beyond the ongoing media charade calculated to deceive the general public.

“That Governor Samuel Ortom and his Taraba state counterpart, Darius Dickson Ishaku be accordingly investigated and tried for abdication of duty and instigation of war crimes against humanity to serve as deterrence to other State Governors who are planning to arm local militias for purposes of the forthcoming 2019 General Elections or outright ethnic cleansing,” the petition added.