The Lagos State Labour Party Governorship Candidate (Architect Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour), Deputy (Princess Abiodun Oyefusi) and 11 others have dragged President Muhammadu Buhari, President-elect (Bola Ahmed Tinubu);, Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Musiliu Akinsanya (also known as MC Oluomo); Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, Femi Fani Kayode, Mr Bayo Onanuga, Sam Omatseye, Otunba Biodun Ajiboye, Mr Reno Omokri, Dele Alake and the traditional ruler of Igbara Jakande area in Eti-osa Local Government Area of Lagos State to the International Criminal Court (ICC), Hague Netherlands for crimes against humanity.
Others joined to be investigated include the Leaders of All Progressive Congress (APC), Inspector General of Police (Nigeria), Chief of Military Intelligence, Deputy Inspector of General of Police and Commissioner of Police, Lagos State.
In the 25-paged petition with pictures, the “Complainants/Petitioners” said they “have jointly and severally committed genocide and crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. These persons and officials of the state of Nigeria are the subjects of the request for investigations and criminal
charges and prosecution.”
They specifically accused them of being party to “several incitements to ethnic violence, extra judicial killings, torture, physical assaults, abductions and gross abuse of human rights in Nigeria.”
The petition addressed to Karim A. A. Khan QC; The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court by the National Lawyers Coalition for Peter Obi, is titled: COMPLAINT AND A REQUEST FOR THE INITIATION OF AN INVESTIGATION INTO CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY IN NIGERIA PURSUANT TO ARTICLES 13(c), 15 & 53 OF THE ROME STATUTE, ON THE BASIS OF INFORMATION ON CRIMES WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT.’
Accusing them of “organized violence, ethnic baiting and attacks, the legal coalition said in the petition that “a few days before the election day, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu while addressing his supporters during a town hall meeting ordered his party members and his thugs to violently grab, snatch and run away with ballot boxes during elections,” stating that “the said conduct resulted in several casualties and fatalities to individuals.”
They also stated that “subsequent to Tinubu’s address, and on and about the 25 February 2023 being the Presidential election day, on 18 March 2023 being the Gubernatorial election day and post-election days; Mr Musiliu Akinsanya, Tinubu’s chief thug also known as MC Oluomo; his supporters and followers acting upon Tinubu’s orders and in compliance thereof took to the streets and unleashed mayhem in and around the country.
“Furthermore, also acting in concert with other Respondents, the following
persons incited ethnic hatred and violence which resulted in injuries and deaths
during and after the general elections in Nigeria. These are: Mr Bayo Onanuga,
a journalist member of the APC and the Director of Media and Publicity for
Tinubu’s Presidential campaign; Mr Femi Fani Kayode the Spokesman for
Tinubu; Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State; Mr Sam Omatseye a journalist in
one of Tinubu’s media companies; Otunba Biodun Ajiboye a member of APC; Mr
Dele Alake a member of APC and Reno Omokri.”
“These attacks and incidents where the results of incitement to ethnic hatred by the Respondents, politicians and their agents who actively participated in these criminal acts, they supplied arms and ammunitions to their foot soldiers and incited them to kill and inflict grievous bodily harm on other individuals of different ethnic groups in Nigeria. They further publicly warned members of other ethnic groups who reside in Lagos State not to show up to exercise their fundamental human rights on the election dates.
“On 19 March 2023, following the completion of the gubernatorial and other
elections in Lagos State, the attacks on opposition party supporters continued
after various ethnic baiting tweets by Mr Bayo Onanuga, Femi Fani Kayode,
Reno Omokri and others. These tweets had fuelled election and post-election
violence against individuals from the specific ethnic group who were the target of
the incitements, and therefore must be treated as crimes against humanity.
“The promotion of attacks and violence against targeted groups residing in a
particular area is a clear violation of international law which falls within the
jurisdiction of the ICC. The ICC is hereby called upon to take action and to
prevent a repeat, and also to hold the perpetrators to account. The comments on
their social media handles are nothing other hate speech.
“Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s inciting rhetoric about other ethnic groups living in Lagos
State is largely responsible for the obvious suppression, oppression, attacks and
killings witnessed during the recently concluded general elections in Nigeria.
There are material evidences of persons of non-Igbo tribes that suffered similar
fate as the Igbo just because they look like the Igbo.
“The eerie silence, or rather the acquiescence of the Mr Sanwo-Olu the Executive
Governor of Lagos State shows that he is complicit. There has not been any
arrest made, and no one has been held responsible for these crimes. Mr. MC
Oluomo is the Head Lagos State Park Management Agency which is a political
appointment of the government of Lagos State; he was seen making open
threats against people of other ethnic groups living in Lagos, there are videos of
him inciting hate and violence against targeted individuals during the just
concluded general elections in Lagos State. These proofs of organized crimes
against humanity.”
They tendered videos, pictures and newspaper publications of attacks, injuries as evidence in their accusations against the Respondents.