The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has taken a bold step by calling upon Mr. Karim A. A. Khan, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), to address the ongoing violence, unlawful killings, crimes against children, and other violations of international law in Nigeria’s Plateau State.
In a letter signed by SERAP’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization urged Mr. Khan to issue a formal ‘preventative statement’ and conduct a preliminary examination into the situation in Plateau State. They further implored the Prosecutor to extend any ongoing investigations to cover the crisis in the state.
The letter highlighted the urgent need for Mr. Khan to visit Plateau State, emphasizing the commitment of the ICC to deliver meaningful accountability and justice for the victims of the attacks. SERAP also called for the deployment of resources from the ICC’s Trust Fund to ensure victims’ access to effective remedies, including reparations.
The petition comes on the heels of reports that over 190 people were killed, hundreds injured, and several others missing due to the recent crisis in Plateau. SERAP emphasized the reasonable basis to believe that crimes under international law, within the jurisdiction of the ICC, have been committed in the ongoing violence.
The organization stressed that these allegations are grave enough to warrant a formal statement and preliminary examination by the ICC’s Office. It further pointed out that the intervention in Plateau State would be a demonstration of the ICC’s commitment to strengthening the rule of law at the international level, ultimately benefiting everyone.
SERAP underscored the significance of the ICC’s focus on victims, as provided for in the Rome Statute, in advancing human rights in Plateau State. The organization sees this as a crucial platform for promoting accountability and justice for the victims of the attacks through the ICC.
The urgency and gravity of the situation in Plateau State portrayed in SERAP’s letter to the ICC highlight the need for swift and decisive international intervention to address the human rights violations and bring perpetrators to justice.
