Photo: Vanguard

The ICC urges Nigeria to investigate crimes claimed by Boko Haram Islamists.

The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Mrs. Fatou Bensouda, said on Tuesday in Abuja that Nigeria was not under any form of investigation over the activities of Boko Haram.

Bensouda made the clarification when she paid a courtesy call on President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House.

She said that the Nigerian Government had the primary responsibility of investigating and prosecuting any crime in the country.

Bensouda, however, said that Nigeria was under preliminary examination, adding that the court could only intervene, as a last resort when there were established cases of crimes against humanity.

"The ICC is not court of first instance; it is a court of last resort. As long as Nigerian government is taking steps to address these crimes, the ICC will not intervene.

"And I want to emphasise that ICC is not yet investigating these crimes, Nigeria's situation is just under preliminary examination and if we see, by monitoring these crimes, that the Nigerian government is addressing those crimes, there will be no need for ICC's intervention.

"And the intention is not to intervene, but the intention is to ensure that Nigeria that has the primary responsibility of investigating and persecuting is actually doing that."

The ICC Chief Prosecutor said the Court was not targeting Africa, adding that all the cases in the continent before the court, apart from Kenya, were originated by Africans.

Bensouda said she was in the country to meet with the President Jonathan and other authorities and to thank the Nigerian government for its cooperation and support

Responding, President Jonathan assured Bensouda of Nigeria's support to the Court as part of the efforts to check impunity and crimes against humanity.

"Nigeria does not encourage impunity, and will cooperate with the ICC to check it. We are open to you and have nothing to hide."

Jonathan drew the attention of Bensouda to the ICC's involvement in five situations in Africa, with the attendant criticism from the continent.

He called on the Chief Prosecutor to use her experience in the Court to resolve potential areas of conflict or disagreement.

The President said he had directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to ensure that the ICC Chief Prosecutor receives all the support and cooperation required to make her visit to Nigeria fruitful.