Nigeria Content Online

The Socio-Economic
Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President
Goodluck Jonathan to arrest and repatriate suspected perpetrators of
the violence in Jos, Plateau State to the International Criminal Court
(ICC) in The Hague for prosecution.

It, however,
attached the salvation of Jos to the government’s readiness to fight
against impunity in Jos by ensuring that no offender is shielded by
security agencies.

“President Jonathan
should meet this challenge head on and exercise the required political
will to make the arrest and transfer of perpetrators to the ICC
happen,” SERAP Executive Director,

Adetokunbo Mumuni
said. “It is now time for this government to show that it is truly
committed to putting an end to impunity for the crimes in Jos by
immediately arresting and surrendering suspected perpetrators to the
ICC.” The group called on Mr Jonathan to “show strong leadership in the
face of increasing violence in Jos, and the killings of innocent
citizens, by urgently arresting and surrendering suspected
perpetrators.” It stated that the court is already investigating the
international crimes being committed in Jos.

Doing little

No fewer than 80
persons have been confirmed killed and 109 wounded in the bombing and
reprisal attacks which took place in Jos from Christmas eve to date.

“It is on record that successive governments have failed to
implement the country’s international legal obligations to respect,
protect, and fulfil the human rights of the people of Jos by
persistently failing to deter and prevent recurring outbreaks of
violence, and by failing to effectively investigate and prosecute
suspected perpetrators,” SERAP says. “This in turn has fostered chronic
impunity for perpetrators, and total defenselessness of victims and
their relatives. The surest and most effective way to restore and
maintain peace and security in Jos is for this government to allow and
facilitate the investigation and analysis of Jos by the ICC by sharing
with the court important information that will lead to the transfer of
perpetrators to the court for trial.” The International Court had, in
November, promised to investigate and analyse the situation in Jos with
a view to prosecuting the relevant crimes. This followed a petition
sent by SERAP’s solicitor, Femi Falana to the ICC Chief Prosecutor,
Luis Moreno Ocampo.