NewStats: 3,263,647 , 8,180,891 topics. Date: Saturday, 07 June 2025 at 03:14 AM 3x4823

The International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague has said it will investigate the September 2017 invasion of a community in Abia State by soldiers of the Nigerian Army during a military exercise code-named Operation Python Dance 2 (Egwu Eke Abuo).

The Office of the Prosecutor, ICC, stated this in response to a petition filed to the court by a Nigerian journalist, Ahaoma Kanu, following the military occupation of Afara Ukwu community in Umuahia, Abia State, in a bid to arrest the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, which led to the killing of several unarmed of the group.

In the letter obtained by Daily Sun with reference number OTP-CR-413/17 dated March 20, 2018, which is the second response by the court to the petitioner, it was confirmed that the military invasion and deaths recorded were already under preliminary examination by the Office of the Prosecutor.

Part of the letter signed by Mark Dillon, head of the information and evidence unit at the Office of the Prosecutor, read: “Accordingly, your communication will be analysed in this context, with the assistance of other related communications and other available information.”

The Federal Government had proscribed the IPOB even as its came under attack by security agencies in the country, including the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS) and the police, leading to the alleged extra-judicial killing of hundreds of IPOB since 2015 when Kanu was arrested on charges of treason.

After the September 16, 2017, attack on his country home, Kanu and his aged father have not been seen till date, fuelling speculations he was being held by the state.

However, following petitions by civil rights groups, the ICC commenced and concluded preliminary investigations into the alleged killing of over 200 of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) in December 2015 as well as opened preliminary investigations into the killing of of the IPOB by the Army in October 2015.

The petitioner, in his petition of September 24, 2017, to the ICC, called for an investigation and prosecution of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, and all of the Nigerian Army involved in the extra-judicial killings of IPOB during the Operation Python Dance 2 exercise.

Dillon stated that “under Article 53 of the Rome Statutes, the prosecutor must consider whether there is reasonable basis to believe that crimes within the jurisdiction of the court have been committed, the gravity of the crimes, whether national systems are investigating and prosecuting the relevant crimes, and the interests of justice.”

He went further to say that “analysis will be carried out as expeditiously as possible, but please be aware that meaningful analysis of these factors can take some time.”

He further promised to provide reasons for any decision reached by the court to proceed with the investigation.

It was the second time that the ICC would exchange correspondences with the petitioner on the killings in Abia State by the Nigerian military.

Afara Ukwu community recently said it would require about N500 million from the Federal Government to cleanse its land reportedly desecrated by the military invasion,

http://sunnewsonline.com/ipob-icc-to-investigate-killings-in-operation-python-dance/

ok

The evidence of the killings is all over the Internet, so there won't be stress on the investigations




Look at these bmc quoting me upandan as if they don't know the truth, abi them don use una brain swap foe boko haram repented terrorists?

Awon wayray soldiers. I no know where dem see Python wey dey dance before

It has begun!!! Buratai and Bubu will soon face the music

ICC is Ipob. Lai Mohammed.

jay2pee:
The evidence of the killings is all over the Internet, so there won't be stress on the investigations

lol
lair Muhammed the charlatan bastard will be like
pdp photoshop the killing
Buhari is a terrorist
Buhari belongs to the Hague

cc
Clerverly ngeneukwenu ikpunnu ikpummiri gworotango GoroTango

we ve been hearing that for so long now...nothing positive will be achieved in the end

Good development...

jay2pee:
The evidence of the killings is all over the Internet, so there won't be stress on the investigations

The ICC is not a shekpe t where urine drinking lunatics lie to themselves, then pat themselves in the back knowing very well that they lied to themselves.
Where are those American lawyers who came to hang Buratai in public?

Ok

GenbIoodykiller:
lol
lair Muhammed the charlatan bastard will be like
pdp photoshop the killing
Buhari is a terrorist
Buhari belongs to the Hague

cc
Clerverly ngeneukwenu ikpunnu ikpummiri gworotango GoroTango

Muhammad Buhari is a certified killer herdsman

FG RIGHT NOW

Welcome development

Ok

The COUNTRY NIGERIA is just a movie

Hehehe I pray they jail or better still kill the King of Recession

But python dance is over since naa And we are cleaning the sweat with crocodile smile

-Good. Nigeria must go the way of Soviet Union. Fake countries everywhere.

-Any child that says his/her mother won’t sleep, must also stay awake.

Buhari needs to be apprehended and questioned,this is not child's play.

Kanu is eating spaghetti and reading this news now. One day he will get busted and I pod can go to sleep.

The nwaamala in the ICC has already started working ...jisike nnaa

Today has been a very terrible day for pigs. This will help them sleep well.

Heeeeebow Hamaka.

From a court in the US to ICC, bunch of jokers

Keel deceiving yourselves

Emm emm... Wey Nmandi? Nmdandi Kanu ooo. Abeg go save our pipu ooo! Na you I don appoint as dem savior ooo.

Abegiii U.N. Come helep us ooo. Dem wan kee us finish for dis 'zoo' ooo. Abegiii ooo

buhari don go...the international body wants to use this as yardstick to Bleep buhari up

Buhari's sagged blokos must be hanged in the Hague.

What are they investigating ? The killings wasn't made hidden so they should just commence their action .

"They will kill us but at the end,Biafra will come".....Nnamdi Kanu

Buhari,killed the igbos because he hate them.have u heard the army have killed any fulani herdsmen?no..the fulanis have the right to kill..they kill police abd army,but no one talks, ,but ipob who fight for freedom empty handed are killed. By the armies of buhari..when will it be unity among the igbos..

k