The UK Minister for Africa, Mr Mark Simmonds, has expressed disappointment over Nigeria’s decision “to host” President Omar Al-Bashir of Sudan in spite of the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant.
A statement issued by the Foreign Office Minister for Africa on Monday said Nigeria’s action undermined the work of the Court.
Al-Bashir arrived in the country on Sunday for an AU Summit on HIV and AIDS, to the consternation of rights groups that had called for his arrest, following his indictment by the ICC for alleged crimes in Darfur.
He is accused of allegedly masterminding genocide and other atrocities during the Darfur conflict, charges which he has repeatedly denied.
Simmonds said: “The UK has a strong and abiding bilateral relationship with Nigeria.
“I am therefore disappointed that Nigeria has chosen to host President Al-Bashir of Sudan at an African Union event, despite International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants against him for alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
“’This undermines the work of the ICC and sends the victims a dismaying message that the accountability they are waiting for will be delayed further.”
The statement noted that the British Government took seriously its obligations as a State Party to the Rome Statute and consistently urged other State Parties to do same.
Earlier on Monday, Foreign Affairs Minister Olugbenga Ashiru had told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Nigeria shunned the ICC arrest warrant because of its commitment to AU position on the issue.
Ashiru, who is currently in Brazil for a meeting, said : “Sudan’s President is in Nigeria at the invitation of AU for the HIV and AIDS Malaria Summit.
“Remember AU in 2009 passed a resolution not to cooperate with the ICC on the indictment of President Al-Bashir.
“However, he is not in Nigeria at our instance as Nigeria’s commitment to the AU remains firm,” Ashiru said.
In a statement on Sunday, Elsie Keppler, Human Rights Watch International Justice Programme Director, criticised Nigeria for being the first West African country to welcome the ICC fugitive.
On Monday, the Nigerian Coalition for ICC filed a suit urging the immediate arrest of Al-Bashir, saying that “he is subject to ICC warrants and Nigeria is an ICC member’’.
According to the group, very few ICC state parties have allowed Al-Bashir on their territories — Chad and Djibouti.
Kenya and Malawi also allowed one visit, but avoided subsequent visits after diplomatic and public outcry. (NAN)