The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has asked the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, to stop the prolonged investigation of the Nigerian military.
The AGF stated the country’s position in a statement on Monday, made available to the media in Abuja by the Special Adviser to the President on Communication and Publicity, Office of the AGF and Minister of Justice, Kamarudeen Ogundele.
According to the statement, the AGF in his remarks at the 23rd session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC in Hague, stated that Nigeria on the global stage has demonstrated the will to promote justice and end terrorism among other global crimes.
While expressing the country’s commitment to confronting impunity, holding perpetrators of heinous crimes accountable, and restoring justice for victims, Fagbemi noted further that the preliminary examination into alleged crimes in Nigeria had lasted 14 years and was demoralising to the servicemen laying down their lives to defend the country against terrorists.
The AGF observed further that the country was concerned by the seemingly predetermined stance of the Office of the Prosecutor regarding armed forces and the situation in Nigeria despite these efforts,
Fagbemi, on behalf of Nigeria, called on all States parties to ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions, as the use of cluster munitions continues to cause widespread suffering and hinders peace-building and humanitarian efforts.
