SERAP to Buhari: seek ICC arrest warrant for Diezani

A RIGHTS group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project
(SERAP), has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to “seek from the
International Criminal Court (ICC) an arrest warrant to bring
former Petroleum Minister Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke before the
court on allegations of corruption”.

SERAP, in a statement yesterday by its deputy director, Timothy
Adewale, advised the Federal Government to consider the allegations
against Mrs. Alison-Madueke as “crimes against humanity and serious
enough for it to sanction her prosecution before the court”.

It urged the government to “pursue civil actions to ensure that
all the funds allegedly stolen by her are fully recovered and duly
accounted for”.

The organisation said: “The allegations of corruption against
Mrs. Alison-Madueke suggest the manifest failure of the government
of former President Goodluck Jonathan to protect Nigerians from
such heinous crimes. Your government now has the responsibility to
take bold action to sufficiently redress this injustice committed
against Nigerians, and the significant long-term damage for the
country.”

It added: “By pursuing international warrant of arrest for Mrs.
Alison-Madueke in order for her to be brought before the ICC, your
government would be showing to Nigerians that it is indeed
determined to match its stated commitment to combat grand
corruption and its debilitating effects with concrete and bold
action.”

SERAP said the request has become necessary following “growing
allegations of corruption against Mrs. Alison-Madueke and the
recent disclosure by the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee
Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, that the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had recovered about half a
trillion naira from her”.

Several court orders have also seized millions of dollars from
bank accounts and forfeiture of several houses both in Nigeria and
abroad linked to her.

The statement added: “SERAP believes that as important as it is,
the recovery of alleged stolen public funds from Mrs.
Alison-Madueke is far from adequate to redress the crimes against
humanity that have been committed against Nigerians. The
allegations of corruption clearly suggest the exploitation of
Nigeria’s natural resources to the detriment of its people, and are
serious enough to meet the requirements of crimes against humanity,
thus bringing her within the jurisdiction of the ICC.

“Pursuing this case before the ICC would also help to deter
grand corruption and its devastating effects on Nigeria and
contribute to the development of case-law in the field of
corruption and citizens’ socio-economic rights, and ultimately
advance the right of Nigerians to restitution, compensation and
guarantee of non-repetition. Such bold initiative would also
improve public confidence in the fight against corruption.”

A RIGHTS group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project
(SERAP), has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to “seek from the
International Criminal Court (ICC) an arrest warrant to bring
former Petroleum Minister Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke before the
court on allegations of corruption”.

SERAP, in a statement yesterday by its deputy director, Timothy
Adewale, advised the Federal Government to consider the allegations
against Mrs. Alison-Madueke as “crimes against humanity and serious
enough for it to sanction her prosecution before the court”.

It urged the government to “pursue civil actions to ensure that
all the funds allegedly stolen by her are fully recovered and duly
accounted for”.

The organisation said: “The allegations of corruption against
Mrs. Alison-Madueke suggest the manifest failure of the government
of former President Goodluck Jonathan to protect Nigerians from
such heinous crimes. Your government now has the responsibility to
take bold action to sufficiently redress this injustice committed
against Nigerians, and the significant long-term damage for the
country.”

It added: “By pursuing international warrant of arrest for Mrs.
Alison-Madueke in order for her to be brought before the ICC, your
government would be showing to Nigerians that it is indeed
determined to match its stated commitment to combat grand
corruption and its debilitating effects with concrete and bold
action.”

SERAP said the request has become necessary following “growing
allegations of corruption against Mrs. Alison-Madueke and the
recent disclosure by the Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee
Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, that the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had recovered about half a
trillion naira from her”.

Several court orders have also seized millions of dollars from
bank accounts and forfeiture of several houses both in Nigeria and
abroad linked to her.

The statement added: “SERAP believes that as important as it is,
the recovery of alleged stolen public funds from Mrs.
Alison-Madueke is far from adequate to redress the crimes against
humanity that have been committed against Nigerians. The
allegations of corruption clearly suggest the exploitation of
Nigeria’s natural resources to the detriment of its people, and are
serious enough to meet the requirements of crimes against humanity,
thus bringing her within the jurisdiction of the ICC.

“Pursuing this case before the ICC would also help to deter
grand corruption and its devastating effects on Nigeria and
contribute to the development of case-law in the field of
corruption and citizens’ socio-economic rights, and ultimately
advance the right of Nigerians to restitution, compensation and
guarantee of non-repetition. Such bold initiative would also
improve public confidence in the fight against corruption.”