The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, affirmed Nigeria’s commitment and partnership with states parties in putting an end to impunity for grievous crimes in the international community.
In a statement by the Special Adviser to the President (Communication and Publicity), Office of the AGF/Minister of Justice, Kamarudeen Ogundele on Monday, Mr Fagbemi said, “We reaffirm our full support for the work of the Court and encourage States that have not yet acceded to the Rome Statute to do so in the interest of global peace, justice, and human dignity.”
Mr Fagbemi spoke at the 24th Session of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague, Netherlands. The assembly commenced on Monday.
Mr Fagbemi affirmed Nigeria’s resolve to hold perpetrators of human rights violations accountable and the readiness to cooperate with the ICC.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria reaffirms its readiness to continue working with the ICC in the fulfilment of its mandate. Our cooperation is firmly rooted in the principles of international law and the sovereign equality of States, and we remain committed to ensuring that such cooperation always reflects respect for Nigeria’s sovereignty and constitutional framework.
“The disregard for international humanitarian law, deliberate targeting of civilians, and destruction of civilian infrastructure illustrate the urgent need to bolster global accountability efforts. Nigeria particularly finds it concerning, the dehumanisation of wars and armed conflicts against even persons not directly involved in these conflicts,” he said.
Mr Fagbemi also said the advent of technologies such as Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) could pose a challenge in protecting people.
He noted the willingness of Nigeria to lend its support to “ongoing international processes—within the United Nations and other multilateral fora” to set up systems “that ensure technology serves humanity and not the reverse.”
He therefore called for the universalisation and implementation of international humanitarian law instruments.
Similarly, Mr Fagbemi called for the integration of Africa’s peculiar challenges in the discussions at the assembly.
“We also emphasise the need for continued dialogue between the ICC and the African Continent. Africa’s peculiar experiences and challenges must be integrated into ongoing discussions on cooperation, complementarity and reform.”
The minister condemned cyber-attacks on the ICC’s digital infrastructure and called for collaboration among stakeholders and experts to tighten the technology’s security to safeguard against future attacks.
He also congratulated the newly elected member of the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims while lauding the efforts of the Fund in “giving tangible expression to the promise of justice for victims.”
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The 24th Session of the ASP to the Rome Statute of the ICC started on 1 December and will run till 6 December 2026 at the Hague, Netherlands.
This assembly brings together State Parties observers, representatives from civil societies, and regional and international organisations to discuss issues faced by the Statute.
At the end of the assembly, resolutions will be adopted.
