Foreign Affairs Minister Olugbenga Ashiru on Monday said Nigeria shunned an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant on Sudan President’s Omar al-Bashir because of its commitment to AU position on the issue.
Al-Bashir arrived in Nigeria on Sunday for an AU Summit on HIV and AIDS to the consternation of rights groups that had called for his arrest following his indictment by the ICC for alleged crimes in Darfur.
He is accused of masterminding genocide and other atrocities during the Darfur conflict, a charge he had repeatedly denied.
Ashiru, who is currently in Brazil for a meeting, said: “Sudan’s President is in Nigeria at the invitation of AU for the HIV and AIDS Malaria Summit.
“Remember AU in 2009 passed a resolution not to cooperate with the ICC on the indictment of President Al Bashir.
“However, he is not in Nigeria at our instance as Nigeria’s commitment to the AU remains firm,” Ashiru wrote in an e-mail to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
In a statement on Sunday, Elsie Keppler, Human Rights Watch International Justice Programme Director, criticised Nigeria for being the West African country to welcome the ICC fugitive.
The director said that Nigeria was the first West African country to welcome the Sudanese president.
“This stands in stark contrast to the leadership of South Africa, Malawi and other African states, who have made clear he’d be arrested or avoided his visits.
“Al-Bashir is sought on the gravest crimes committed in Darfur and Nigeria’s hosting is an affront to victims,” Keppler said.
The statement by the rights group noted that its Nigerian Coalition would head to court on Monday to compel Bashir’s arrest, given that he’s subject to ICC warrants and Nigeria is an ICC member.
According to the group, very few ICC state parties have allowed Al-Bashir on their territory — Chad and Djibouti.
Kenya and Malawi also allowed one visit, but avoided subsequent visits after diplomatic and public outcry.
