The Yoruba Nation agitators have taken their petition against President Muhammadu Buhari to the International Criminal Court, and they got an audience.
The 27-page report was acknowledged July 13, and the petitioners include the leader of Ilana Omo Oodua, Professor Banji Akintoye, Sunday Adeyemo aka Igboho, 49 other Yoruba secessionist groups.
The petitioners accused the Nigerian leaders and security chiefs of genocide and crimes against humanity against the Yoruba people of the southwest, and Kogi and Kwara.
In a letter to the counsel of the petitioner, the ICC’s Head of Information and Evidence Unit of the Office of the Prosecutor, Mr. Mark P. Dilon, said the petition has been duly entered in the register of the Office.
“We will give consideration to this communication, as appropriate, in accordance with the provisions of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
“As soon as a decision is reached to formally commence investigation into this petition, we will inform you, in writing, and provide you, with reasons for this decision.”
Following the registration, Akintoye, in a statement by his media aide Maxwell Adeleye, said, “We Yoruba people must now move forward to accomplish our Yoruba nation’s self-determination by holding a referendum.”
The petition was filed against the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.); the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN; former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai; and former Inspectors General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and Muhammed Adamu.
Others are comptrollers-general of other military and paramilitary services.
Igboho has been on the run since the DSS declared him wanted after invading his Soka home in Ibadan, killing two and carting away nine AK-47 rifles, charms, and laptops–besides 13 of his aides arrested and taken to Abuja.