October 20th will surely be a day to remember the innocent protestants killed from the massive gun attack unleashed by the Nigerian army under the command of the chief of army staff. As protestants matched and chanted peacefully in their numbers demanding for good governance and better life which the government have denied them for several years, thier demands were greeted by gun shots as many innocent protestants lay in thier own pool of blood.
Five days ago, the chief of army staff made it clear the Nigerian Army loyalty is to the president and not the nation and five days after, several innocent youths are killed at lekki toll gate by the army. For the past two weeks, thousands of Nigerian youths have been on the streets demanding an end to police brutality, disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigerian police and comprehensive police reforms.
Nigerians had long launched a campaign online with the #EndSARS hashtag. The campaign trended across the world two weeks ago after celebrities volunteered to lead the protests against harassment and incessant killing of citizens by SARS.
The end sars protest led by the youths have been peaceful, organized, strategic and devoid of any thuggery and violence. However the political class are clearly sponsoring hoodlums, herdsmen and their thugs to wreck havoc everywhere and kill as many of the youths as possible. The objective of the political class is to create a state of anarchy to enable them use government security forces to forcefully disband the protest and kill as many of the youths as possible.
The political class rather than take a cue from other climes that have resolved similar unrest through dialogue and other peaceful avenues, feel insulted, embarrassed and slighted that anyone could question their gross injustice, incompetence. Neglect and large scale looting of the common resources of the nation and the demise of good governance have become the order of the day and to support these, the military and the police have unleashed murderous attack on the peaceful protesters in lekki, alausa, Jo’s, Kaduna, Kano, Abeokuta, Ibadan etc. For the avoidance of doubt, some Nigerians have petitioned the international criminal court on those that are suspected to be sponsoring hoodlums to corrupt the peaceful protests.
Nigerians have also compiled the names of military officers, police officers, governors, senators, financial governors, political operatives who are instigating or launching the shooting and murder of the innocent youths participating in peaceful legitimate protests. The focus is not just on the military, police or security officers giving the instructions but also on those ministers, governors, politicians, senators and lawmakers who through their comments are instigating attacks and violence against the protesters.
Nigerians have called on the international community, the United states, the European union and the United nations to speak out against the killing of innocent protesters in Nigeria and the sponsoring of hoodlums by the political class. They are calling on all genuine leaders to speak out in support of the youths.
Below are the list of people indicted in the International Criminal Court, their countries, their crimes and dates when they were indicted. They were indicted on counts of genocide, war crimes, aggression, or contempt of court, as well as crimes against humanity and for instigating crimes and attacks against the people
Bahr Abi Garda (Sudan)
Bahr Abu Garda indicted on 7 May 2009 on three counts of war crimes.
Mohammed Ali (Kenya)
Mohammed Ali indicted on 8 March 2011 on five counts of crimes against humanity.
Abdallah Banda (Sudan)
Abdallah Banda was indicted on 27 August 2009 on three counts of war crimes.
Omar al-Bashir (Sudan)
Omar al-Bashir was indicted on 4 March 2009 on five counts of crimes against humanity and two counts of war crimes.
Jean-Pierre Bemba (CAR)
Jean-Pierre Bemba was indicted on 23 May 2008 on two counts of crimes against humanity and four counts of war crimes.
Charles Blé Goudé (Republic of Cote d’Ivoire)
Charles Blé Goudé was indicted on 21 December 2011 with four counts of crimes against humanity.
Muammar Gaddafi (Libya)
Muammar Gaddafi was indicted on 27 June 2011 on two counts of crimes against humanity .
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi (Libya)
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was indicted on 27 June 2011 on two counts of crimes against humanity.
Laurent Gbagbo (Republic of Cote d’Ivoire)
Laurent Gbagbo was indicted on 23 November 2011 on four counts of crimes against humanity.
Simone Gbagbo (Republic of Cote d’Ivoire)
Simone Gbagbo was indicted on 29 February 2012 on four counts of crimes against humanity.
Ahmed Haroun (Sudan)
Ahmed Haroun was indicted on 27 April 2007 on 20 counts of crimes against humanity and 22 counts of war crimes.
Abdel Rahim Hussein (Sudan)
Abdel Rahim Hussein was indicted on 1 March 2012 on 13 counts of crimes against humanity and six counts of war crimes.
Saleh Jerbo (Sudan)
Saleh Jerbo was indicted on 27 August 2009 on three counts of war crimes.
Germain Katanga (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Germain Katanga was indicted on 2 July 2007 on three counts of crimes against humanity and six counts of war crimes.
Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya)
Uhuru Kenyatta is the current President of the Republic of Kenya. He was indicted on 8 March 2011 on five counts of crimes against humanity.
Tohami Khaled (Libya)
Tohami Khaled was indicted on 13 April 2013 on four counts of crimes against humanity and three counts of war crimes.
Joseph Kony (Uganda)
Joseph Kony was indicted on 8 July 2005 on 12 counts of crimes against humanity and 21 counts of war crimes.
Henry Kosgey (Kenya)
Henry Kosgey was indicted on 8 March 2011 on four counts of crimes against humanity.
Ali Kushayb (Sudan)
Ali Kushayb was indicted on 27 April 2007 on 22 counts of crimes against humanity.
Thomas Lubanga Dyilo (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Thomas Lubanga Dyilo was indicted on 10 February 2006 on three counts of war crimes.
Raska Lukwiya (Uganda)
Raska Lukwiya was indicted on 8 July 2005 on one count of crimes against humanity and three counts of war crimes.
Sylvestre Mudacumura (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Sylvestre Mudacumura was indicted on 13 July 2012 on nine counts of war crimes.
Francis Muthaura (Kenya)
Francis Muthaura was indicted on 8 March 2011 with five counts of crimes against humanity.
Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui was indicted on 6 July 2007 on three counts of crimes against humanity and six counts of war crimes.
Bosco Ntaganda (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Bosco Ntaganda was indicted on 22 August 2006 on three counts of war crimes.
Okot Odhiambo (Uganda)
Okot Odhiambo was indicted on 8 July 2005 on three counts of crimes against humanity and seven counts of war crimes.
Dominic Ongwen (Uganda)
Dominic Ongwen was indicted on 8 July 2005 on three counts of crimes against humanity and four counts of war crimes.
Clement Arthurs writes from Lagos.