Rights Group Asks ICC To Try Buhari For Post-2011 Election Killings

A Nigerian human rights group appealed the International Criminal Court (ICC) to bring charges against presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Muhammadu Buhari for post-election violence in 2011.

The Northern Coalition for Democracy and Justice said in a statement General Buhari should face justice over the violence, when 800 people were killed and many churches and schools were demolished.


Buhari’s APC party refused the claims, accusing the group in political motivation.

The APC spokesman Lai Mohammed said: “They will not stop at anything to try to derail General Buhari. I can see the hands of the government behind it.”
Government officials haven’t responded to this yet.

The court’s prosecutor gets dozens of such compliances each year, of which very few ever result in inquiries.

The NCDJ supposed the violence included acts of murder, torture and rape systematically directed at alleged non-supporters of Buhari.

The human rights group had previously bring up Buhari to the ICC in 2011, but said it decided to submit more facts after the former military ruler arose as the main candidate in coming presidential elections.

“We have a lot of very strong evidence 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, who will turn 72 tomorrow, December 17^th, has been an influential political figure in Nigeria for much of its post-independence history, leading a military government for 18 month until 1985.
He won APC National Convention on December, 11^th. He is running for the fourth time for presidential seat. This time he again faces Goodluck Jonathan.