End SARS Protests: Femi Falana Dragged To International Criminal Court

A frontline human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has been dragged to the International Criminal Court, ICC for his involvement in EndSARS protest.

Falana was dragged to ICC by an organisation, Make Nigeria Better Initiative, MNBI, for allegedly instigating the #EndSARS that led to the deaths of many Nigerians.

The complaint dated 4th November, 2020, was addressed to the Office of Madame Fatou Bensouda, the Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC).

In the complaints filed by Joseph Nwaegbu, Esq. a Senior Associate of Pathfind Attorneys on behalf of Make Nigeria Better Initiative (MNBI), claimed the role played by Mr. Falana before, during and after what observers described as “the mother of all protests in Nigeria” was not only ignoble but criminal.

The group in their lawsuit, also accused Falana of having maintained antagonistic posture against Nigeria’s security forces, especially the military ever since the country returned to democracy.

Femi Falan’s Reaction To The Law Suit Against Him

Falana in his reaction on Wednesday night, said that the complaint was baseless and had no element of facts in it.

He said, “One of my clients, the Socio-Economic and Rights Accountability Project, had earlier submitted a petition to the International Criminal Court against the authorities of the Nigerian Army for the brutal killing of peaceful protesters in Nigeria. Before then, a London-based human rights group had submitted a petition over the massacre of 347 Shiites in December, 2015 by the Nigerian Army.

“The suspects in both petitions believe that I instigated both petitions, hence, this obnoxious rejoinder was hurriedly crafted and dispatched to the office of the Chief Prosecutor of the ICC to divert attention from the crime against humanity allegedly committed by those, who opened fire on peaceful protesters in violation of international humanitarian law.

“But the cheap ploy will not work as the ICC does not entertain frivolous petitions that are anchored on conjecture or speculation.

“After all, the ICC is not unaware of the fact that the suspects, who committed arson and wilful damage to private and public properties in Lagos State and other places during the #EndSARS protests, have been arrested, investigated and arraigned in criminal courts.

“I am, however, surprised that the office of the Chief Prosecutor acknowledged the receipt of the groundless petition because it is the practice of the ICC to formally accept all petitions including the most absurd and obnoxious.”