FG commits to coordinate the African continent on the Rome Statutes – Malami

FG commits to coordinate the African continent on the Rome Statutes – Malami

Federation Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, SAN said the Federal Government of Nigeria is committed to coordinating the support, ratification and adoption of the Rome Statute on the African continent.

Malami made this known in the Netherlands on Monday by presenting the Nigerian County Declaration at the 21st session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, The Hague.

This was disclosed in a statement issued to journalists by Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, Special Assistant for Media and Public Relations, Office of the Federal Attorney General and Minister of Justice.

According to the statement, Malami revealed that the National Assembly is working assiduously with the Federal Attorney General’s Office to achieve the domestication of the Rome Statute.

The Minister said that Nigeria strongly believes in the rule of law as a panacea for a just and equitable world, noting that the country has continued to comply with its obligations under international law.

Malami pointed out that the Federal Government has not breached its commitment to provide maximum cooperation to the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the Court to address the complaint of crimes against humanity committed within its territory.

“There has been an increased exchange of communications between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Attorney General’s Office, and Nigeria has designated a designated Focal Point specifically to respond to all requests related to criminal law and prosecution issues,” he said.

According to Malami, the development has helped smooth interactions between Nigeria, analysts and the OTP’s international cooperation advisers.

He said Nigeria will continue to show strong political will to stop the perpetrators of terrorism and crime.

“I also wish to reiterate that Nigeria will continue to demonstrate strong political will to hold the perpetrators of terrorism and other heinous crimes to account, in line with our firm belief that protecting the fundamental rights of victims of crimes against humanity is not negotiable”. he said.

Malami said Nigeria believes in the principle of complementarity and will continue to play a leading role in ensuring that perpetrators of crimes against humanity are prosecuted and victims get justice.

He said that the Government has implemented mechanisms to ensure that the national judiciary is effective and efficient in the administration of justice.

Malami reiterated Nigeria’s firm belief in the importance of the rule of law in guiding the actions of nation states, especially holding them accountable for their decisions.

The Minister congratulated the Assembly for the measures adopted to strengthen the judicial system, especially valuing the Recommendations of the Group of Independent Experts that maintain that “If in fact we are, to rid the world of impunity, a strong International Criminal Court system and stable is not necessary. negotiable”.

Dr Umar Jibrilu Gwandu
(Special Assistant for Media and Public Relations, Office of the Federal Attorney General and Minister of Justice)
Monday, December 5, 2022