Boko Haram: northern elders threat of ICC ill-conceived – Ihejirika

The immediate past chief of army staff, Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika has described the threats by Northern Elders Forum (NEF) to drag him and others to International Criminal Court of Justice (ICC) in the Hague, for the onslaught against terrorists sect Boko Haram, as ill conceived and against national interest.

Ihejirika, who attended the post National Pilgrimage Thanksgiving service at Aso Rock Villa Chapel, while fielding questions from State House correspondents, said the action of the elders was capable of demoralising soldiers some of whom had not eaten for nearly 24 hours because of the peculiarity of their areas of operations.

Asked to react to the threat by the elders to drag him to the International Criminal Court (ICC), he said the move was misconceived and capable of demoralising soldiers who are making huge sacrifices for the nation, as well as jeopardising the war against terrorism.

Ihejirika said, “My reaction to that is that their statement is ill-conceived, perhaps based on some misinformation.

“The northern elders should be thanking the service chiefs, my officers and myself for making huge sacrifices, first to see that Nigeria is safe and the north in particular, since they are the first beneficiaries of the sacrifices being made.

“There is no senatorial zone in this country that has not lost a personnel of the armed forces. It is unfortunate that the same elders, if they are really elders, have not cared to send a single condolence message to the military.

“I think that their statement is discouraging and it impacts negatively on the counter-terrorist efforts because as we speak, they are soldiers that have not had a meal since yesterday because of the peculiarity of where they are at the moment.”

The former army chief however assured that the fight against terrorism, which has been boosted by recent strategic measures, would very soon wipe out the insurgents.

On fighting insecurity during his tenure, Ihejirika said, “It has been very busy thing. I believe that very soon Nigerians will be very happy because we have put quite a number of structures in place.

“I want to say that with some equipment and training that were carried out in recent days, there will be little or no hiding place for the insurgents.”

It could be recalled that the NEF had barely 24 hours after  President Goodluck Jonathan, sacked the service chiefs, had threaten to drag Ihejirika and six others to ICC in the Hague, for extra-judicial killings by soldiers in Bama and strangulation of civilians in Giwa Barrack, with the use of underground detention centre.

NEF said it received reports of the  two committees on Security and Legal Matters it set up, regarding extra-judicial killings by soldiers in Bama and the act of strangulating civilians in Giwa Barracks using an underground detention centre, while depositing the corps in hospital.

'The forum has, therefore, resolved to harmonise the reports of the two committees, preparatory to filing a case of extra-judicial killings by the Nigerian Army under the then Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Azubuike Ihejirika and six others.

'The reports will be harmonised at our emergency meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, 22nd January 2014 for further action', it said in a statement