There has been a systematic state sponsored ethnic cleansing of the Hausa/Fulanis of the northern part of Nigeria for the past 6 years. Nigeria is among the nations battling insecurity and terrorism, and has lost thousands of innocent citizens and properties worth billions of Dollars to the terrorist group Boko Haram. Hundreds of thousands of people have become refugees in their own country. Hundreds of thousands have lost their lives, loved ones and properties in the north east of Nigeria and in the same token, hundreds of thousands have become internally displaced.
The most affected states in the north east are: Gombe, Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. Parts of Bauchi, Pleateu, Kano and Katsina and Rivers states are also affected.
This politically motivated ethnic cleansing as nowhere is safe especially in the north eastern region where terrorist activities are on the high.The most disturbing is how lackadaisical the country's President has handled this annihilation. He has been unperturbed by the wanton daily killing of his electorates. President Jonathan has failed to tackle Boko Haram since their incursion into some of the north east states, and his government have deliberately under-equipped the military, and politicizing the insurgency for selfish political and monetary benefits. Goodluck Jonathan has vigorously absolved the terrorist's top sponsors within his government of any involvement, and also shielded them from prosecution or investigation to satisfy his political interest.
The whole idea behind his political tactics is to decimate this region, prevent election from being held, and/or reduce as much as possible, the number of available voters, knowing full well that these people would vote for his popular opponent, (who himself is from the northern part of the country)
There are overwhelming and compelling evidence to prove the possible involvement of some key figures within the presidency, and militants from the Niger Delta (the president’s tribe), in sponsoring these terrorist activities in Nigeria and many reports have backed this fact. No action has ever been taken to prosecute anyone, the President on an occasion inappropriately confirmed there were terrorists in his government, but that was the best he could do.
The most damning revelation is the desperation of some unscrupulous persons who clandestinely tried to purchase arms in South Africa. There have been two secret, busted arms deals so far. These arms were meant for the insurgents. On the first occasion, two Nigerians and an Israeli national are still facing investigation in South Africa were caught after they attempted to smuggle US$9.3 million, apparently meant for buying arms for the Nigerian intelligence service.
The suspected smugglers landed at Lanseria International Airport, Johannesburg, on September 5, in a private jet from Abuja, Nigeria with the money stashed in three suitcases. Another US$5.7 million arms money from Nigeria, just three weeks after the $9.3 million cash transported by two Nigerians and an Israeli for arms purchase. The South African Asset Forfeiture Unit of the National Prosecuting Authority seized the $5.7 million (about N952 million) for allegedly being the proceeds of illegal transactions. Arms transactions usually involve a complex bank transfer system needed to move the money between the countries involved in the deal; they are rarely done in cash.
The money was also seized initially because it was not disclosed at customs. This raises serious questions on the genuineness of the purchase. Why would the Nigerian government send individuals to purchase arms for the Nigerian army? Why were there no representative(s) of the Nigerian army or any of the intelligence service in the deal? Why was the deal secret? Why were the monies smuggled into South Africa? Why were civilians solely involved in purchasing arms for the Nigerian government?
As of today, 14 local governments in the north east of Nigeria have been ceded to the insurgents, and under terrorist rule. This was one of the reasons the Nigerian government postponed the February 14, 2015 presidential elections to March 28, 2015, stating that they would get rid of the insurgents in 6 weeks. This, they had failed to achieve in 6 years.
Just recently, Dr. Stephen Davis, an Australian who was hired to negotiate the release of 276 school girls abducted in April, 2014 revealed two major sponsors of Boko Haram sect but President Jonathan not only ignored him, but also denied ever hiring Dr. Davis. There are several scenarios where the President has fraternised with these known terrorists and has on many occasions exonerated them from attacks they themselves had claimed responsibilities for. The October 1st 2010 bombing in Abuja, Nigeria is one reference where the President publicly tried to exonerate The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), one of the largest militant groups in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, from the attack even before investigations were conducted, despite MEND claiming responsibility for the attack.
Based on these and many other factors including the lack of confidence in Nigeria's Judiciary to deliver justice to the oppressed, and Nigerian Army been accused of gross human rights violations in carrying out these operations, with witnesses accusing them of shooting people for wearing traditional Muslim robes or the vertical scars typical of Kanuri people (Nossiter, Adam (5 June 2013). "In Nigeria, ‘Killing People Without Asking Who They Are’". New York Times. Retrieved 6 June 2013.), we think the ICC is the best forum to fight these gross abuse of human rights and an opportunity for the court to take action against the rising wanton killing of innocent Nigerians.
By prosecuting the President of Nigeria, other known accomplishes would also be investigated to unravel the naked truth behind the systematic genocide of the people of north east Nigeria.
We ask the International Criminal Court to investigate, with the view to prosecuting President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for committing the crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, crime of aggression. This has taken the form of inciting and instigating violence against the people of the north eastern region of Nigeria by sponsoring, protecting terrorist activities with the grand plan of perpetuating himself in office, decimating the Hausa/Fulanis, and the other indeginous ethnic groups of the north east and preventing Nigerians from electing their desired leader.
Time is of the essence! Thousands of Nigerians are being killed, raped, maimed and abducted on a daily basis. The people of the north eastern Nigeria are helpless and vulnerable against this state sponsored genocide.
Our soldiers are deliberately being ill-equipped, while billions of American Dollars is claimed to have been spent on equipping them. Furthermore, while there are several thousands of our soldiers are being posted to monitor elections in the south west of the country, less than that are drafted to fight insurgents in the north east.
“Crimes against humanity” of which the people of the north eastern Nigeria are being subjected to, include all of the following acts committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack directed against the civilian population, with knowledge of the attack:
murder;
extermination;
enslavement;
deportation or forcible transfer of population;
imprisonment;
torture;
rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, enforced sterilization, or any other form of sexual violence of comparable gravity;
persecution against an identifiable group on political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural, religious or gender grounds;
enforced disappearance of persons;
the crime of apartheid;
other inhumane acts of a similar character intentionally causing great suffering or serious bodily or mental injury.
On behalf of the peace loving people of Nigeria and all the victims of terrorist activities in Nigeria, we hereby call on the general public to contribute their own quota in saving the lives of Nigerians by signing/supporting this petition and passing it on to others across the globe, in what appears to be the only way to halt further bloodshed in Nigeria.
Articles of the Rome Statute of the ICC relied upon:
- Article 4 [Legal status and powers of the Court]
- Article 5[Crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court]
- Article 6[Genocide]
- Article 7[Crimes against humanity]
- Article 8 bis[Crime of aggression]
- Article 12 [Preconditions to the exercise of jurisdiction]
- Article 13[Exercise of jurisdiction]
- Article 15bis[Exercise of jurisdiction over the crime of aggression]
- Article 21[Applicable law]
References:
Borno State:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borno_State#cite_note-9
2."Nigeria: State of Emergency Declared". New York Times. 14 May 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
3."Army crackdown on Nigeria's Islamist militants". BBC News. 17 May 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2013
4."Nigeria army's offensive to continue 'as long as it takes'". BBC News. 18 May 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2013
5. Nossiter, Adam (5 June 2013). "In Nigeria, ‘Killing People Without Asking Who They Are’". New York Times. Retrieved 6 June 2013
6. Ola' Audu (2014-06-26). "Nigeria: Shettima Orders Investigation Into Mass Abduction of Women". Premium Times - allAfrica.com. Retrieved2014-07-01
7. UNICEF. Nigeria: Humanitarian Update on the North East Nigeria, November 2014
Adamawa state:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adamawa_State
2. Internally Displaced Persons In Nigeria Cry Out For Help. Channels Television, November 30, 2014
3. Nigeria: U.S., UK, American University Deliver Relief Materials to Adamawa Displaced Persons. Premium Times - allAfrica.com, November 20, 2014
4. Nigeria: U.S., UK, American University Deliver Relief Materials to Adamawa Displaced Persons. allAfrica.com, November 20, 2014
5. Nigeria: Adamawa IDPs’ Camps Record Outbreak of Measles. Leadership (Abuja) - allAfrica.com, January 15, 2015
Yobe state:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yobe_State
2. "Nigeria declares 'massive' military campaign on borders". BBC News. 15 May 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2013
3. http://www.elombah.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1274%3Ayusuf-boko-haram-leaders-final-moments&Itemid=54
Gombe:
1. http://saharareporters.com/2015/02/14/gombe-state-imposes-curfew-boko-haram-attacks-capital
2. http://www.voanews.com/content/boko-haram-attacks-gombe-nigeria/2644033.html
Secrect Arms deals:
1. http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/168179-two-nigerians-israeli-caught-in-south-africa-for-smuggling-about-us10-million-to-buy-arms.html
2. http://www.citypress.co.za/politics/another-sa-nigerian-arms-deal-bust/
3. http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/south-africa-seizes-another-5-7-m-nigerian-arms-deal/
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