ICC Dismisses Case Against Nigeria over Alleged Crimes Against Humanity
The filing alleged crimes against humanity and cited 7,825 abductions, but the court said it breached procedure and lacked legal basis.
- On September 1, 2026, the International Criminal Court dismissed an anonymous petition alleging crimes against humanity in Nigeria, citing procedural breaches. The filing titled "Formal Communication Requesting Investigation into Systemic Kidnappings in Nigeria as Crimes Against Humanity" was rejected as legally invalid.
- Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, criticized the court on Thursday for improperly assigning the unverified filing to Pre-Trial Chamber II on August 26, 2026. The government argued this bypassed established legal channels defined by the Rome Statute.
- The petition emerged amid a persistent kidnapping crisis, with SBM Intelligence reporting 7,825 people abducted across Nigeria between July 2025 and June 2026. The report estimated at least N7.78 billion in ransom was paid during that period.
- Fagbemi emphasized that the authority to investigate domestic crimes rests with Nigeria under the principle of complementarity. The government is making formal representations to the Court to address the institution's procedural handling of the case.
- Federal officials reassured the public that no investigation has been opened against the Nigerian State. They urged all organs of the Court to strictly follow statutory procedures to protect the credibility of international criminal justice.
18 Articles
18 Articles
ICC dismisses case against Nigeria over alleged crimes against humanity
The International Criminal Court, ICC, has dismissed a case filed by an unknown submitter against Nigeria over alleged crimes against humanity. The international body dismissed the filing titled, “Formal Communication Requesting Investigation into Systemic Kidnappings in Nigeria as Crimes Against Humanity” (Document No. ICC-RoC46(3)-01/26), for breaching its procedures. This was after the President of the […] ICC dismisses case against Nigeria o…
ICC not investigating Nigeria for crimes against humanity — AGF Fagbemi, SAN
…. vows action over petition by unknown person By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA— The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has dismissed as false the claim that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is investigating Nigeria for alleged crimes against humanity. However, the AGF, in a statement on Thursday, admitted that a petition anonymously filed before the global court, seeking an investigation int…
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