Buhari: almost certain to face ICC

Click to download the ICC case file

Since, Friday, January 29, 2016, the hearts of many Biafrans have been gladdened by the news that their international lawyers have received acknowledgement of their complaint to the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague.

The complaint was about atrocities of Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria, for the torture and murder of Biafrans protesting against the illegal detention of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu by his Police and military personnel. Apart from being the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Kanu is also the Director of Radio Biafra, and has been peacefully campaigning vigorously for the independence of Biafra with his radio.

The acknowledgment letter, which was signed by Mark P, Dillion, Head of Information and Evidence Unit at the Office of the Prosecutor at ICC, read: “The office of prosecutor of the International Criminal Court acknowledges the receipt of your document/letter.”

In the letter with reference number OTP.CR.3816, Dillion explained that the document/letter had “been duly entered in the Communication Registrar of the Office”. He went on to promise that the document/letter would be given consideration, as appropriate, in accordance with provisions of the Rome Statute of the ICC.

In the letter that was addressed to the lawyers of IPOB, Goran Sluiter and Leonard Ndubuisi, Dillion explained further that the decision to investigate the case had not been reached, nor investigations commenced. But promised that as soon as decision was made, “we will inform you in writing, provide you with reasons for this decision” he concluded.

For the joyful Biafrans, taking Buhari to the ICC will not only make Buhari to suffer for his sins. They believe that it would also present a first time opportunity for the world to have a glimpse of the killing-field that Nigerian had been, and which the British governments have been concealing since 1914.

To the Biafrans, it would not only present an opportunity to see the atrocities of Buhari, who they liken as a “smaller thief”, but also that of others that could be termed “bigger thieves”. The “bigger thieves” according to them are the likes of Yakubu Gowon, former coup plotter and war-time military head of state, who is rated the world’s 14th deadliest dictator in recent history.

For the Biafrans also, it would present an opportunity for the world to learn of the true Olusegun Obasanjo, a former war-time commander and military head of state – the “genocidist” that ordered the extermination of Odi town in Biafraland. Of course, they also hold the belief that the world would learn of Theophilus Danjuma as well – the one who executed Gowon’s counter coup of 1967, and is described as the ‘butcher in Ibadan’ for murdering his commander in chief in the most gruesome manner. They believe also that the underbelly of Ibrahim Babangida, the former Nigerian ruthless military president, would also be exposed.

Biafrans who spoke with Family Writers, also believe that other terrible (but dead) murderers in Nigeria that the world has not heard of like Benjamin Adekunle of the Third Marine Commando, known also as black scorpion, would be exposed; and Murtala Mohammed the Central Bank robber at Benin, who also committed mass murderer at Asaba, in the now Delta State.

However, Buhari’s case is somewhat different, for which Biafrans expect him to suffer. He is among the few, like Obasanjo, who extended their brutality and evil after the Biafra/Nigeria war, boasting about it and how much they were prepared to do it again.  Buhari is known to have boasted before the 2015 election that the reason Igbo-Biafrans do not support him was because he killed them during the war, and that if the need arises that he would kill them again.

It therefore, did not surprise Biafrans when, two weeks after being sworn in last year, he sent the Airforce planes to bomb Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, claiming to be hunting kidnappers. But it was poor villagers that were killed. He followed it up with the murder of a young shoe-maker at Ariara Market in Aba, Abia State. On Sunday, August 30, 2015, his men – Police and Navy – shot, maimed and killed Biafrans on evangelism to promote Biafra. Since then it has been murders and maiming all the way, especially after his abduction of Nnamdi Kanu, and his followers protesting against the illegality.

At the moment, Biafrans are happy as they note that those who committed atrocities against their people, like Buhari, are facing the music at the ICC. For instance, Laurent Gbagbo, former head of state of Cote d’Ivoire, is already at ICC at The Hague, answering to criminal charges of crimes committed against his own people. Charles Taylor, former Liberian dictator is already serving his jail-term for his own atrocities, while Sudanese President Umar Bashir has so far evaded arrest as a result of his incumbency.

This is the sad commentary of a group of individuals who call themselves leaders of their people, but have conducted themselves as alien invaders of the people they were meant to protect.  Now, Biafrans are elated that Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerian President, is almost certain to face charges at ICC if he makes it alive from his hospital bed where he is at the moment.

Click to download the ICC case file

ByTim Tochukwu