12 Reasons Why SERAP Dragged Nigerian Governors To ICC

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) In the petition dated 7 July 2016 and signed by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni has requested Mrs. Fatou Bensouda, Prosecutor, International Criminal Court to “you use your good offices and position to investigate allegations of collective punishment and crimes against many Nigerian worker. INFORMATION NIGERIA brings you the reasons that they gave the ICC.

1. SERAP said they are concerned about non-payment of workers’ salaries by several state governments in Nigeria.

Non payment of salaries has made life impossible doe the workers and their families.

They also urged ICC to bring to justice anyone responsible for the inhumane acts committed against Nigerian workers and prohibited under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court to which Nigeria is a state party.”

2. SERAP contended that Nigerian workers are facing severe deprivation, mental ans physical health challenges as a result of the non-payment of their salaries fulfil the requirements of this provision.

3.That non payment of staff salaries means that individual liability may attach to governors who continue to hide under the excuse of ‘limited allocations from Abuja’ to deny these workers the fruit of their labour.”

4.That “The state governors ought to know that their actions and/or omissions would likely to cause serious physical or mental suffering or a serious attack upon the human dignity of workers whose salaries are not paid.”

5.That “Non-payment of salaries for several months have reduced Nigerian workers to ‘bare life’, or life not worth living, thus taking away their human dignity.

6.That the inhumanity of the non-payment of workers’ salaries is illustrated by the serious threats this poses to the workers’ physical and mental health, and family life as well as their ability to contribute to the development of the country.

7.The non-payment of salaries has created an environment of powerlessness for several workers and perpetuated a system of impunity in many states.”

8.That because Article 7(1)(k) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court criminalises other inhumane acts intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or to mental or physical health.

9.That“SERAP believes that the non-payment of salaries of workers amounts to a serious attack on human dignity covered in the definition of ‘other inhumane acts’ under the Rome Statute, and fit within the ICC’s mandate.

10.That the gravity of non-payment of workers’ salaries for several months should not be dismissed a priori as lesser than that of the radically egregious acts the ICC has so far prosecuted.”

11.They believe that to deprive workers of their salaries is to deprive them of their livelihoods and basic necessities to the right to life and human dignity, and to and cause them suffering of sufficient gravity and severity comparable to enumerated acts of crimes against humanity under article 7 of the Rome Statute.

12. “International human rights law requires states to protect the rights of workers including to timely payment of salaries. The ICC can and should exercise its mandates under the Rome Statute to enforce these internationally recognized human rights by holding individual governors accountable for the crimes against humanity committed against many Nigerian workers.”