ICC must probe Obasanjo, Jonathan-SERAP

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project

(SERAP) called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to

investigate the administrations of former presidents, Olusegun

Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar‘Adua and Goodluck Jonathan for

alleged wastage of electricity funds.

Reports have it that SERAP said the past governments misspend

the sum of N11trillion meant for provision of electricity to

Nigerians between 1999 and 2015.

The statement read:''The Rome statute in article 7 defines

‘crime against humanity’ to include ‘inhumane acts causing

great suffering or injury,’ committed in a widespread or

systematic manner against a civilian population. The common

denominator of crimes against humanity is that they are grave

affronts to human security and dignity.

''SERAP considers these allegations of widespread and

systematic corruption in the electricity sector as amounting to

crimes against humanity and therefore clear violations of the

provisions of the Rome statute of International Criminal

Cour''.

SERAP said: ''Considers the apparent failure of successive

governments and high-ranking government officials to

prevent widespread and systematic corruption in the

electricity sector as amounting to complicity under the Rome

Statute.

''SERA, therefore, believes that the widespread and systemic

nature of large scale corruption in the electricity sector fits

the legal requirements of a crime against humanity''.

The organisation also asked the court to ''Urgently commence

an investigation proprio motu on the allegations of

widespread and systematic corruption in the electricity sector

since the return of democracy in 1999, with a view to

determining whether these amount to crimes against humanity

within the court’s jurisdiction.

''In this respect, we also urge you to invite representatives of

the Nigerian government to provide written or oral testimony

at the seat of the court, so that the prosecutor is able to

conclude since available information whether there is a

reasonable basis for an investigation, and to submit a request

to the pre-trial chamber for authorization of an investigation''.

The House, through its spokesperson, Abdulrazak Namdas,

called Obasanjo the father of corruption in the country.

SERAP