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,”
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