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SERAP wants Buhari to seek ICC arrest warrant against Diezani

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Court throws out Diezani’s request for trial in Nigeria

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to get an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant of arrest against Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

Diezani, a former Minister of Petroleum Resources has been enmeshed in several allegations of corruption both in Nigeria, the United Kingdom and in the United States of America (USA).

Recently, different court judgements in Nigeria had ruled for permanent forfeiture to the Federal Government some properties linked to the former minister.

Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Professor Itse Sagay, had also recently disclosed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had recovered about half a trillion naira from Diezani.

But SERAP in a statement released Sunday asked President Buhari to urgently seek from the ICC, an arrest warrant to bring Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke before the court on allegations of corruption against her.

The organisation further said that the Federal Government should consider corruption acts levelled against Diezani as “crimes against humanity and serious enough for it to sanction her prosecution before the court (ICC).”

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

SERAP said in the statement signed by its deputy director Timothy Adewale, “The allegations of corruption against Mrs. Diezani 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.

Read also: Buhari, APC have failed but they’re comfortable with it –Jonathan’s ex-aide

“By pursuing international warrant of arrest for Mrs Diezani 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.”

The organisation added, “SERAP believes that as important as it is, the recovery of alleged stolen public funds from Mrs. Diezani 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.”

 

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