DSP Ike Ekweremadu held a meeting with the new President of International Criminal Court, ICC, The Hague, Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji yestrday.Disclosing the news,he said…

‘I had the honour of receiving the President of the International Criminal Court, ICC, The Hague, Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji, who paid me a visit today.

We shared perspectives on global issues, especially as it concerns the mandate of the ICC.

I conveyed to him the goodwill of the National Assembly of Nigeria and assured him of our support to the ICC’s efforts to check crimes against humanity and ensure justice for the victims.

As a Nigerian and African I am proud of the jurist. I believe his emergence is a collective honour for Africa.

Importantly, as somebody coming from Africa, I believe that he is in a better position to understand the issues around the mandate of the ICC because a lot of these atrocities have been recorded in Africa.

For us as a civilised people, we believe that human life is very precious. That is why the right to life is the first right in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and I think that is the same with modern constitutions the world over. Genocides, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and aggression should have no place in civilised world.

On his part, Judge Eboe-Osuji said the purpose of his visit was to express his gratitude to Nigeria for supporting the ICC and its mandate.

He also said that the idea of the rule of law must continue; that there must be accountability for violations of international criminal laws. And I totally agree with him’.