Amaechi Warns Tinubu Over Opposition Crackdown, Makes ICC Arrest Claim

ADC Vice-Presidential Candidate Says Military, Police Chiefs Could Also Face Accountability Over Unlawful Killings

By Henryrich Ojo | Newsworld

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has warned President Bola Tinubu against what he described as his administration’s crackdown on opposition figures, claiming that the president could face prosecution by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over alleged unlawful killings.

Amaechi made the remarks while addressing ADC stakeholders in a video circulated online, urging party members and Nigerians to resist what he characterised as intimidation.

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Amaechi argued that international law could hold political and security officials accountable for serious crimes, including unlawful killings. Referring to former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who was taken into ICC custody over alleged crimes against humanity linked to his anti-drug campaign, Amaechi claimed that a similar legal process could affect Nigerian leaders if the relevant conditions were met.

He also alleged that the Attorney-General of the Federation understood the legal implications of such a situation. However, Amaechi’s suggestion that international law requires a specific number of deaths before a president can be arrested by the ICC does not accurately reflect the court’s legal framework.

The ADC chieftain further claimed that accountability could extend beyond the president to military and police commanders who ordered or contributed to unlawful acts. He urged opposition supporters not to be deterred by security measures or threats. Under the Rome Statute, the ICC does not require a fixed number of deaths before it can investigate or prosecute a case.

Its jurisdiction depends on legal requirements, including the nature of the alleged crimes and the applicable jurisdictional conditions. Any claim that Tinubu or Nigerian security chiefs would be arrested would therefore depend on specific evidence and legal proceedings, not simply a numerical threshold.