| 1 |
Author(s):
Adeleke Olumide Ogunnoiki.
Page No : 1-15
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International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecution of Africans for War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity: A Witch-Hunt?
Abstract
Since the post-Cold War era began in 1991, several political leaders, government officials, high-ranking military officers, warlords and armed groups have initiated, planned, aided and abetted and, committed grave atrocities during armed conflicts, post-election violence, insurgency etc. In order to put an end to the evil culture of impunity in the new millennium, hold the perpetrators of international crimes accountable for their actions and, get justice for the victims of the crimes, The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) was founded in 2002. Africa as a region presently has 33 State parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC, thus making it the largest bloc in the Court of 123 State parties. But no sooner had most African State parties supported the establishment and operations of the ICC than they stopped cooperating with it under the umbrella of the African Union (AU). The unabated hostility between the AU and the ICC centres on the indictment and prosecution of sitting African presidents which enjoy immunity based on customary international law and, the disproportionate indictment, prosecution, and conviction of Africans for war crimes and crimes against humanity. This paper critically examines the allegations by most African States parties to the Rome Statute that, the ICC has an African bias and that it pursues ‘selective justice’. The research methodology adopted for this study is the historical approach with the qualitative method of secondary data collection.
| 2 |
Author(s):
Adeleke Olumide Ogunnoiki.
Page No : 16-21
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Regaining Bakassi Peninsula from Cameroon: The Options Available to Nigeria
Abstract
The Bakassi Peninsula is a 1,600 kilometres long peninsula protruding from Calabar into the Gulf of Guinea. During the colonial rule of present-day Nigeria, Great Britain ceded the peninsula to Germany with the Anglo-German Treaty of 1913. As a result, the resource-rich Bakassi Peninsula became a disputed territory between Nigeria and her immediate neighbour, Cameroon, in the post-colonial era. In the year 1994, Cameroon instituted legal action against Nigeria at The Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ) which ruled in its favour in October 2002. In the month of June 2006, President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and his counterpart President Paul Biya of Cameroon signed the Green Tree Agreement (GTA) in New York, United States, which eventually led to the ceremonial handover of the peninsula by Nigeria during Yar’Adua’s administration to Cameroon in August 2008. Nigeria had up to 2012 to appeal the ICJ verdict with fresh fact. Sadly, the government of President Jonathan failed to do so. Hence, Nigeria, through the adjudication method of pacific settlement of international disputes, lost Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon. Thus far, there has not been any policy statement by the government of Nigeria to regain the peninsula from Cameroon. Should there be in the nearest future, this paper identifies the possible options still available to Nigeria to repossess Bakassi Peninsula. The research methodology adopted for this study is the historical approach with the qualitative method of secondary data collection.
| 3 |
Author(s):
Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim, Momoh A. M. Kabir.
Page No : 22-30
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Nigeria’s Consolidation of Foreign Policy Directive in West Africa: Some Major Challenges and Prospects
Abstract
This paper discusses the Nigerian foreign policy in the West African sub-region and the attendant challenges. It focuses on the nature of this policy which is basically Afrocentric. The paper as a result dwelt on the idealism of the policy itself as some scholars posit in terms of the relations between Nigeria and these countries in the sub-region. The paper adopts the descriptive research from library instruments and findings show that, issues involved are quite pervasive and problematic to the effective projection of the country’s foreign policy in the sub-region. The examination of these issues, some of which are traceable to the country’s domestic economic and political setting have become pertinent in order to reduce the seeming misunderstanding and mistrust of Nigeria’s noble and progressive gesture towards her fellow African neighbors. The paper concludes that Nigerian foreign policy even in the West African Sub-region has been influenced by its African focus. This scenario inevitably conferred on the country, the status of a sub-regional leader in all ramifications. The paper recommends that the Nigerian authorities must regard and treat its West Africa neighbour as strategic. This has become important as it can be harnessed as a verifiable market for the country’s goods and services to the reduction of outside rivals.
| 4 |
Author(s):
Bitiyong Zemo J. Amina, Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim.
Page No : 31-41
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A Transnational Multifaceted Strategy for Overcoming Violent Extremism in the Sahara Region
Abstract
This paper examines the variegated areas through which violent extremism can be curbed within the identified area called the Sahel. It also analyzes ways through which this can be achieved by transnational cooperation and commitment to dissolving the strength of extremists in the area. The paper adopts the descriptive method and library instrument to generate data, especially documented literature obtainable from books, journals, periodicals, reports, newspapers and magazines. Findings show that the AU Strategy for the Sahel region lists Algeria, Burkina Faso, Chad, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Sudan as countries making up the Sahel region but for the purposes of its strategy for the region includes Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria and Senegal on the basis that though outside the immediate zone deserve the same attention. Strategy for curbing violent extremism may involve political, economic, military and sociocultural inertia among other things. The paper concludes that, having a transnational cooperation will ensure lasting peace within the region by creating energetic entrepreneurs in the long run who will bring development to the region against terror and violence. The paper recommends effective fight against poverty and creating job opportunities to deal with idleness of the youth among other things.
