Osinbajo assures ICC of Nigeria’s support – TheNigerialawyer

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 on 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
emphasised 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 had 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.