ICC Investigates Oba Of Lagos For Anti-Igbo Remarks

The International Criminal Court has commenced investigation of the
Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, for statements made about the Igbo's in
the build-up to the Lagos governorship election.

In the statement, available on line, Mr. Akiolu vowed that Igbos in
Lagos who voted against his preferred candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode,
would sink in the Lagoon. Mr. Ambode of the APC eventually defeated
Jimi Agbaje of the PDP in a highly contested election.
The son of a late former governor of old Anambra State, Josef Onoh, on
April 21, petitioned the ICC on the statement and asked the world jury
to investigate the threat and bring the monarch to justice.

The ICC had earlier in the year acknowledged receipt of Mr. Onoh's
petition and promised to give consideration to his request.

Mr. Onoh petitioned the ICC saying he believes that Mr. Akiolu's
threat amounted to a call for violence to be perpetrated against the
Igbo in Lagos in the event that the APC governorship candidate loses
the election, which he noted violates Article 20 of the International
convention and elimination of all forms of racial discrimination.

"Had the threat been made by any lesser person we would have dismissed
same as an idle threat, but coming from the Oba of Lagos himself, it
was a call to arms and an incitement to violence against the Igbos,"
Mr. Onoh wrote.

In a second correspondence to Mr. Onoh with reference number
OTP-CR-140/15, dated August 13 2015, ICC's Head of the Information &
Evidence unit in the office of the prosecutor, M.P. Dillion, said they
were analyzing the situation identified in his petition with the
assistance of other related communications and other available
information.

Part of the ICC's latest letter to Mr. Onoh reads: "Under article 53
of the Rome statute, the prosecutor must consider whether there is a
reasonable basis to believe that crimes within the jurisdiction of the
court have been committed, the gravity of the crimes, whether national
systems are investigating and prosecuting the relevant crimes, and the
interests of justice."

Acknowledging receipt of the petition, Mr. Dillon said: "This
communication has been duly entered in the communications register of
the office."