The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari through the Federal Attorney General and Minister of Justice to arrest and prosecute alleged masterminds of the killings of farmers in Agatu communities of Benue State by armed Fulani Herdsmen or risked being dragged to international criminal court (ICC) in The Hague Netherlands for abetting grave crimes against humanity.

Making the disclosure in a media release, the Rights group said it was disturbing that the Nigerian Government has only barked meaninglessly without effectively adopting legal measures to bring to an end the killings in Agatu and many other farming communities all over Nigeria by Fulani herdsmen in a manner depicting high level conspiratorial support of these dastardly acts of criminality by these terrorists. HURIWA said it amounted to government sponsored terrorism if the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration continues to male empty rhetoric whilst thousands of unarmed civilians are massacred in the most gruesomely bestial manners by armed Fulani terrorists.

In the 20 paragraphs letter addressed to the Federal Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Alhaji Abubakar Malami (SAN) endorsed by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA said under several international humanitarian laws, the Universal Declaratory of Human Rights (UDHR); the international covenants on civil and political rights, Nigerians of all affiliations must be protected from unwarranted attacks and genocidal killings by government or the officials responsible for the dereliction of duties to be dragged before the global crimes court in the Hague, Netherlands, for aiding and abetting mass killings and genocide.

“Nigeria,” HURIWA said, “is party to this Statute and deposited its instrument of ratification on 27 September 2001 which qualifies the International Criminal Court (ICC) for exercise of its jurisdiction as specified under Article 12 of the Rome Statute. Nigeria therefore agrees in principle with the Rome Statute of the ICC in the following words of the Preamble that State Parties to the Statute: Mindful that during this century, millions of children, women and men has been victims of unimaginable atrocities that deeply shock the conscience of humanity;

Recognising that such grave crimes threaten the peace, security and well-being of the world;

Affirming that the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole must not go unpunished and that their effective prosecution must be ensured by taking measures at the national level and by enhancing international cooperation; Determined to put an end to impunity for the perpetrators of these crimes and thus to contribute to the prevention of such crimes.”

“Notwithstanding,” HURIWA noted, “the Nigerian Government and security agencies have not only become incriminated as passive but also active participants in the genocide against Agatu community as provided under Article 6 (d) of the Rome Statute by “deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or part”.

“We hereby call on the Federal Government to urgently respond to the plight of the law abiding people of Agatu community who are writhing in the pain of physical and psychological injury inflicted upon them by the barbarism of the alleged Fulani herdsmen orchestrated by the gross negligence and lackluster ineptitude of the Nigerian Government and its security operatives otherwise we shall be compelled to seek audience with the ICC Prosecutor on this matter.”

•Photo shows President Buhari.

Update news