Sunday June 22, 2025|
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to refer the escalating violence in Benue State to the International Criminal Court (ICC), urging urgent action to address what it described as grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, FirstNEWS reports.
In a letter dated June 21, 2025, and signed by its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP urged the president to “urgently refer the situation in Benue State to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the court to exercise its jurisdiction over the violence and unlawful killings and other serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in the state.”
The organisation also advised the president to extend the request to include other states plagued by similar violence.
“Consider referring the situation of other recurring and ongoing violence and other serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in other states of Nigeria or requesting the ICC prosecutor to extend any current investigations on Nigeria to cover the situations in those states,” the letter read.
SERAP’s call followed disturbing comments made by the Tor Tiv and Benue’s paramount ruler, Professor James Ayatse, who described the situation in the state as nothing short of genocide.
“What we are dealing with here in Benue is a calculated, well-planned, full-scale genocidal invasion and land-grabbing campaign by herder terrorists and bandits, which has been going on for decades and is worsening every year,” Ayatse stated.
The rights group stressed that it is the responsibility of the Tinubu administration to ensure justice for victims and to bring perpetrators to account.
“Your government has a primary responsibility to ensure accountability and justice and reparations for these grave human rights crimes,” SERAP said.
The group noted that referring the case to the ICC would align with Tinubu’s previous promises to bring attackers in Benue to justice.
“Referring the situation in Benue state to the ICC would contribute to achieving your expressed commitment to ‘hunt down the perpetrators of the attacks and bring them to justice, deliver justice for victims and restore peace in the state,’” the letter stated.
SERAP warned that inaction would only embolden those responsible for the violence.
“Any reluctance to refer the situation in Benue to the ICC would continue to embolden perpetrators, state actors and non-state actors alike, to continue to attack the people of the state with impunity,” it said.
The letter further argued that domestic avenues for justice have proven “insufficient and inadequate” and that the ICC could investigate those who may be immune from prosecution within Nigeria, including high-ranking officials.
Citing Article 14 of the Rome Statute, SERAP reminded the president that Nigeria, as a signatory to the treaty, has the power to request an investigation by the ICC.
“The referral of the situation in Benue to the ICC is a relatively easy process… and would immediately impose a positive obligation on the ICC prosecutor to open an investigation,” the organisation said.
It added that the ICC would have access to evidence that local agencies may be unable to gather and that justice must not be optional.
“Justice is not an optional extra. It is an absolutely essential prerequisite for vindicating people’s rights,” SERAP said.
Drawing parallels with other countries like Gabon, Mali, and Uganda, which have previously referred cases to the ICC, SERAP urged Nigeria to follow suit.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days.
“If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider requesting the states parties to the Rome Statute to refer the situation in Benue to the ICC,” the letter stated.
Highlighting recent incidents, SERAP cited the killing of at least 100 people in Benue’s Yelewata and Dauda communities, displacing over 3,000, as reported by the National Emergency Management Agency. Many others are reportedly missing or seriously injured.
“In the aftermath of the 2022 presidential primary of the PDP, certain tendencies and interests in the party have pursued the systematic degradation of the party,” the group added, emphasising that the security crisis had escalated beyond political blame.
They also noted President Tinubu’s recent remarks, where he condemned the killings and said, “The value of human life is greater than that of a cow. We were elected to govern, not to bury people.”
SERAP concluded its letter by urging the president to take swift action.
“Referring the situation in Benue to the ICC would demonstrate your expressed commitment to combat the human rights crisis in the state and send a powerful message to those who commit these grave violations… that they would be brought to justice.”
According to the group, over 500 lives have been lost in Benue since 2019, with more than 2.2 million people displaced.
ICC Should Investigate Benue Killings, SERAP Tells Tinubu
