Rights group drags Buhari to ICC over alleged crimes

A Nigerian human rights group, the Northern Coalition for Democracy and Justice (NCDJ), on Monday, asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to bring charges against Muhammadu Buhari, for post-election violence in 2011.The group said in a statement that Buhari should face justice over the violence, which claimed 800 people’s lives and destroyed many churches and schools.

The ICC has been looking into possible war crimes in Nigeria since 2010.The NCDJ alleged that the violence included  murder, torture and rape systematically directed at perceived non-supporters of Buhari.

The Nigerian Tribune reports that, the NCDJ had previously referred Buhari to the ICC in 2011, but said it decided to submit more evidence after the former military ruler emerged as the main candidate for February’s presidential elections.

“We have a lot of very strong evidences we are submitting to the prosecutor,” said Goran Sluiter, a Dutch law professor acting for the NCDJ, adding he wanted to ensure Buhari did not escape justice by winning political office.

 Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC) party denied the claims, saying they were politically-motivated.

“They will not stop at anything to try to derail Buhari,” said the party’s spokesman, Lai Mohammed.“I can see the hands of the government behind it,”