Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has assured the International Criminal Court (ICC), of Nigeria’s full cooperation with preliminary examination into issues related to insurgency in the North East to ensure the process is forthrightly concluded.
According to a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, Osinbajo gave the assurance Monday when he received at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, a delegation from the ICC led by its Prosecutor, Mrs. Fatou Bensouda. At the meeting held to discuss Nigeria’s support and cooperation with the Office of the Prosecutor at the ICC, the Vice President emphasized that the federal government remains committed to its obligations under the Rome Statute.
Osinbajo while referring to the work of a judicial inquiry composed by the Federal Government to address some of the ICC preliminary issues said, “We have done quite a lot to prove that we are determined to fulfill our obligation under the Statute. And I want to say that, on behalf of the Nigerian government, we respect the process, and there is no reluctance on our part at all.
“Again, let me say that Nigeria is committed to our obligations and the process under the Rome Statute; we are strong supporters of the Statute and the work of the ICC.”
Bensouda, on her part noted that since the Court started the preliminary examination, “we have had full cooperation and support from the Nigerian government and authorities, we have also engaged as much as possible.”
Other top government officials at the meeting included the Director-General, Department of State Services, DSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi; and the Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Dayo Akpata.
