PRESS RELEASE - Nigeria: IHRC refers Nigeria army massacre to International Criminal Court

IHRC has called on the International Criminal Court to open a preliminary enquiry into the events in Zaria last year

The International Criminal Court is being urged to investigate the massacre of nearly 1000 civilians in Nigeria last December at the hands of the country's armed forces.

IHRC has called on the international tribunal which has a mandate to prosecute people for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, to open a preliminary enquiry into the events in Zaria last year in which soldiers attacked the Islamic Movement of Nigeria's (IMN) supporters, symbols and property.

The assault over two days in the northern Nigerian city left a trail of bloodshed and destruction including the shooting of the movement's leader Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky and his wife Zeenat. Both are currently believed to be in military custody, detained without charge.

In the filing submitted to the ICC today IHRC writes: "The crimes committed between the 12th and 14th December 2015 in Zaria, Kaduna State, by the Nigerian army amount to crimes against humanity. The crimes committed by the Nigerian army meet all the necessary legal requirements to warrant a preliminary investigation by the ICC prosecutor."

Information obtained by IHRC indicates that 217 people were confirmed killed in the attacks, another 219 are in detention, and 482 are still missing. The number of injured is believed to run into many hundreds. IHRC's filing to the ICC is largely based on eye-witness evidence of the army's assault.

The majority of deaths were caused by gunshots fired by soldiers. Cases of people being burnt alive have also emerged. Injuries caused by machetes or other knife wounds have also been found on the corpses, and could be the work of the criminal groups that perpetrated acts of looting and mutilation alongside the military. Signs of torture and electrocution have been evidenced on the body of the IMN leader Sheikh Zakzaky and other detainees, two of whom died as a result thereof.

Sexual violence has also been reported, including cases of rape against women affiliates of the IMN. A 14-year old female witness told IHRC that the military shot her in her private parts when she resisted attempts by soldiers to rape her. Some women reportedly had their breasts cut off and others were deliberatelly shot in the pelvic region damaging their uteri.

Photographic evidence has been obtained along with testimonies of mass graves where the army is reported to have buried fatalities from the killing spree. Some corpses were allegedly incinerated, apparently in order to conceal any evidence.

In its submission IHRC says that the evidence suggests that the army's assault was a systematic and pre-planned attempt to snuff out the IMN whose growing popularity have made it a thorn in the side of Nigerian governments. A similar army assault in July 2014 during a religious preocession led to the deaths of 34 IMN members including three sons of Sheikh Zakzaky who were apparently singled out for execution.

Eyewitnesses have reported that during December's violence soldiers were seen celebrating and chanting slogans against the IMN, such as ‘we have finished with the Shia and Zakzaky’ and ‘no more Shias in Nigeria’. Although the IMN has support among Nigeria's Sunnis and Shias it is often portrayed by its detractors as a Shia organisation.

During the violence soldiers used automatic weapons, explosives and armoured vehicles against unarmed civilians. This, along with the destruction of places of worship, graves and other buildings associated with the IMN, appears to support the contention that the attack was aimed at fatally damaging or eliminating the IMN.

Although the state government in Kaduna has set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry IHRC believes it is insufficiently independent and impartial to be able to hold those responsible to account, nor is there any reasonable prospect of any prosecutions. In his speech announcing the inquiry state governor Malam Nasir el-Rufai listed a range of grievances against the IMN, which is indicative of bias against the IMN from the start. He was also responsible for demolishing IMN properties before setting up the commission of inquiry.

IHRC chair Massoud Shadjareh said: "The scale and brutality of this massacre and unwillingess of the Nigerian government to implement due process makes it essential for the international court to investigate. The faiure of the international community to act against atrocities on this scale stands to have grave consequences."

Notes to editors:

The ICC submission to the ICC can be read in full at http://ihrc.org.uk/publications/reports/11646-investigating-the-attack-against-the-islamic-movement-of-nigeria-on-12-13-december-2015-in-zaria

For media enquiries or further details please call +44 20 8904 4222 or +44 7958 522196 or 44 7426 728074[Ends]

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IHRC is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

Islamic Human Rights Commission

PO Box 598

Wembley

HA9 7XH

United Kingdom

Telephone (+44) 20 8904 4222

Email: info@ihrc.org

Web: www.ihrc.org

Twitter @ihrc

http://www.ihrc.org.uk/activities/press-releases/11647-press-release-nigeria-ihrc-refers-nigeria-army-massacre-to-international-criminal-court

Shi’ites drag Army to International Court

Members of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) otherwise known as Shiites, Mondey said that they have dragged the Nigerian Army to International Criminal Court (ICC) in Hague for alleged war crimes in the December 2015 clash with its members in Zaria.

Addressing the press, media spokesman of the Islamic group, Ibrahim Musa said the Zaria clash was a war against the Shiites where over 1000 of them were allegedly killed by the Army.

The International Criminal Court (ICC), located in Hague, is believed to be the court of last resort for prosecution of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

According to Musa, “International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) has on behalf of Shiites called on the International Criminal Court to open a preliminary enquiry into the events in Zaria last year.

“In the filing submitted to the ICC Tuesday IHRC writes: “The crimes committed between the 12th and 14th December 2015 in Zaria, Kaduna State, by the Nigerian army amount to crimes against humanity. The crimes committed by the Nigerian army meet all the necessary legal requirements to warrant a preliminary investigation by the ICC prosecutor.”

“The International Criminal Court is being urged to investigate the massacre of nearly 1000 civilians in Nigeria last December at the hands of the country’s armed forces.

“IHRC has called on the international tribunal which has a mandate to prosecute people for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, to open a preliminary enquiry into the events in Zaria last year in which soldiers attacked the Islamic Movement of Nigeria’s (IMN) supporters, symbols and property.

“The assault over two days in the northern Nigerian city left a trail of bloodshed and destruction including the shooting of the movement’s leader Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky and his wife Zeenat. Both are currently believed to be in military custody, detained without charge.

“Information obtained by IHRC indicates that 217 people were confirmed killed in the attacks, another 219 are in detention, and 482 are still missing. The number of injured is believed to run into many hundreds. IHRC’s filing to the ICC is largely based on eye-witness evidence of the army’s assault.

“The majority of deaths were caused by gunshots fired by soldiers. Cases of people being burnt alive have also emerged. Injuries caused by machetes or other knife wounds have also been found on the corpses, and could be the work of the criminal groups that perpetrated acts of looting and mutilation alongside the military. Signs of torture and electrocution have been evidenced on the body of the IMN leader Sheikh Zakzaky and other detainees, two of whom died as a result thereof.

“Sexual violence has also been reported, including cases of rape against women affiliates of the IMN. A 14-year old female witness told IHRC that the military shot her in her private parts when she resisted attempts by soldiers to rape her. Some women reportedly had their breasts cut off and others were deliberately shot in the pelvic region damaging their uteri.

“Photographic evidence has been obtained along with testimonies of mass graves where the army is reported to have buried fatalities from the killing spree. Some corpses were allegedly incinerated, apparently in order to conceal any evidence.

“In its submission IHRC says that the evidence suggests that the army’s assault was a systematic and pre-planned attempt to snuff out the IMN whose growing popularity have made it a thorn in the side of Nigerian governments.

“A similar army assault in July 2014 during a religious preocession led to the deaths of 34 IMN members including three sons of Sheikh Zakzaky who were apparently singled out for execution.

“During the December’s violence soldiers were seen celebrating and chanting slogans against the IMN, such as ‘we have finished with the Shia and Zakzaky’ and ‘no more Shias in Nigeria’. Although the IMN has support among Nigeria’s Sunnis and Shias it is often portrayed by its detractors as a Shia organisation.

“During the violence soldiers used automatic weapons, explosives and armoured vehicles against unarmed civilians. This, along with the destruction of places of worship, graves and other buildings associated with the IMN, appears to support the contention that the attack was aimed at fatally damaging or eliminating the IMN.

“Although the state government in Kaduna has set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry IHRC believes it is insufficiently independent and impartial to be able to hold those responsible to account, nor is there any reasonable prospect of any prosecutions.

“In his speech announcing the inquiry state governor Malam Nasir el-Rufai listed a range of grievances against the IMN, which is indicative of bias against the IMN from the start. He was also responsible for demolishing IMN properties before setting up the commission of inquiry,” he said.

http://thenationonlineng.net/zaria-clash-shiites-drag-army-international-court-2/

This is a welcome development, I've been expecting this long timen,finally tey dragged them there, Nigerian security agencies are brutal and merciless toward civilians.

The bible says leaders are appointed by God. But when i look at the one they have in aso rock i begin to wonder whether God knows of such an assumed leader.........it's for this very reason of rulership directionless directionelessness, democratic immorality, trust prostitution and cluelessness quagmire that no single investor has brougth any dime in this black entity to invest in despite his vagabond bearing.....

Well said

Good move!

Since our dear Boooooohari and cohorts are deceiving themselves with investigations that have since been swept under their dirty carpets, let them see if the ICC can give them justice.

what I would like to know is.

what right do bloody muslim civilians have to deny Security operatives passage.. on what grounds?

that criminal in nature and a terrorist act...

fvck them!

Let's see how this pans out

This is serious oooo...... Matter don tie wrapper

Nigeria Army are too brutal........

If you have lived in Kaduna or it's Environ,you won't type rubbish here....they should go ahead....let's see the outcome

Enough is enough!,you don't kill unarmed civilians like that....human beings are not animals.It's barbaric, this impunity must stop.

They'll never do anything about it.

This is because of the friendship between Zakzaky and Iran.

Just wait and see.

The only thing our soliders know how to do is to oppress innocent civilians

Every soul should mean a lot to a sane country which Nigeria is still far from.Hope something meaningful comes out of this.

Right step in the right direction!

So this matter is still pending

flokii:
what I would like to know is.

what right do bloody muslim civilians have to deny Security operatives passage.. on what grounds?

that criminal in nature and a terrorist act...

fvck them!

What sort of claptrap are you spewing this early morning

what bloody right does the army have to take the lives of hundreds of unarmed civilians, children most especially?

Or is that how its done in developed countries? Do the military just kill civilians just like that? In what sane society is that normal because they blocked the road where security operatives were passing through?

Fvck the foolish, blood thirsty bastards! Flokii, so ra e o!

buoye1:
If you have lived in Kaduna or it's Environ,you won't type rubbish here....they should go ahead....let's see the outcome

Nonesen..e!

emeka2847:
They'll never do anything about it.
This is because of the friendship between Zakzaky and Iran.
Just wait and see.

There is rapprochement (new found love) between Iran and the West (particularly the USA). And the ICC would have its credibility at stake.

The best thing is to convince these guys to withdraw their case by taking confidence building measures and finding lasting solutions to their excesses that will also not impede on their freedom of religion. There can be an internal settlement.

minus the fact that they are muslins, nothing will likely happen. for who do they want to invite to ICC? dulardinho or the useless chief of army staff?
This case is just like that of Biafra.ns.

For the ICC, enough has been said already. They should step up their game. We don't need a bunch men and women carrying placards in the name of I stand with this and this.

Meanwhile, Buhari with his huge record of human right abuse will likely not walk free this time around. He may anyways for a while, but certainly, he will be brought to justice, not only him but also every APC zombie who can not call evil by its name.

repogirl:


What sort of claptrap are you spewing this early morning

what bloody right does the army have to take the lives of hundreds of unarmed civilians, children most especially?

Or is that how its done in developed countries? Do the military just kill civilians just like that?

Fvck the foolish, blood thirsty bastards! Flokii, so ra e o!

it's the "children" part that's bad yeah .

buh this is not police we're talking about o

soldiers are designed to eliminate any form of threat they encouter.. why they look "blood thirsty" to civilians

those guys fvcked up mehn.. they were threatening COAS convoil with weapons..

will such ever happen in developed countries?.. or don't you see how d Britons respect their police, talk more Military

jtjohn:
Nigeria Army are too brutal........

They are trained kill and be violent at the same time ..that is why they are not suppose to be around civilians...its only in Nigeria you see the use of Military men for civil unrest..somthing that the police could actually have handled but trust our Nigeria police of thier ineptitude.

flokii:


it's the "children" part that's bad yeah .

buh this is not police we're talking about o

soldiers are designed to eliminate any form of threat they encouter.. why they look "blood thirsty" to civilians

those guys fvcked up mehn.. they were threatening COAS convoil with weapons..

will such ever happen in developed countries?.. or don't you see how d Britons respect their police, talk more Military

which weapons? Pls show me the evidence of the weapons.

Damn! Can't wait to see ICC hang Burantai abi Burantashi by his balls

repogirl:
which weapons? Pls show me the evidence of the weapons.

you mean you didn't see d video

where some senior Army guy sef went to beg them (somtin unusual for a trained soldier to do)

then they started forming badass that I dnt understand

they fvcked up... being religious doesn't mean you should become senseless

flokii:
what I would like to know is.

what right do bloody muslim civilians have to deny Security operatives passage.. on what grounds?

that criminal in nature and a terrorist act...

fvck them!

u can go and ask dis ques in int criminal court

flokii:

you mean you didn't see d video
where some senior Army guy sef went to beg them (somtin unusual for a trained soldier to do)
then they started forming badass that I dnt understand
they fvcked up... being religious doesn't mean you should become senseless

Hope you know that the gravity of this case doesn't appear to be what surrounds the road block and the video we saw. It appears it has to do with the aftermath. After the road incident, the cleric who was not on the road was attacked in his house and the Shiite worship center crowded with worshippers marking a religious ceremony was also attacked and then demolished. If the incident would have ended on the road, with a limited number (less than maybe ten) people shot at to clear the way, it may not have perhaps reached this level. That's not to say I'm supporting or justifying soldiers shooting at protesters or road blockers.

flokii:


you mean you didn't see d video

where some senior Army guy sef went to beg them (somtin unusual for a trained soldier to do)

then they started forming badass that I dnt understand

they fvcked up... being religious doesn't mean you should become senseless

What the army did was clear premeditated murder. If the civilians had posed a threat to the army, why not chase them off with teargas? disarm them and arrest or kill the ones that were REAL threats, but no o....... The army left and returned late at night and then began bombing the homes of these people and shooting at will, killing brothers, sisters, mothers and families at a go.

You can deceive yourself due to your obvious bias but this move, going to the ICC, it's for the best. I wish them justice!

If the army was right in their approach of the situation and are indeed covered by the law, then I guess they have nothing to be afraid of.