International Criminal Court says it has opened a preliminary inquiry into the demonstrations in Nigeria against harassment and brutality by the police, which later resulted in the killing of scores of protesters and security personnel.
British Broadcasting Corporation reports that the ICC prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said her office had received information on alleged crimes during the protests, which were organised under the #EndSARS campaign.
The court said it would make findings of the preliminary examination public.
In October, thousands of Nigerians took to the streets to call for an end to police brutality.
In response to the protests, Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, announced the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) — a unit that had been accused of extrajudicial killings.
About 51 civilians and over 28 police officers and seven soldiers were killed during the violence that trailed the Lekki shootings of October 20, 2020.
The development is sequel to a threat by a number of civil society organisations to report some heads of security agencies to the ICC over the conduct of their personnel during the demonstrations, popularly called #EndSARS protests.
But the Chief of Army Staff, Gen Tukur Buratai, has since dismissed the threats to report him and some heads of security agencies to the ICC and other international authorities.
Buratai said, “They have continually threatened to report the NA to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and also threatened various forms of sanctions against personnel and their families.
“Criminal elements are threatening us with travel ban but we are not worried because we must remain in this country to make it better.”