BBC Pidgin of Tuesday, 23 September 2025

Source: BBC

Why Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger comot from ICC

Colonel Assimi Goita(L), General Abdourahamane Tchiani and Captain Ibrahim Traore Colonel Assimi Goita(L), General Abdourahamane Tchiani and Captain Ibrahim Traore

Three West African kontris don withdraw from di International Criminal Court [ICC].

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announce dia decision to withdraw from di International Criminal Court wit immediate effect.

Dem allege say di judicial body na tool for "neo-colonialism" and dem dey practice "selective justice".

Di three Sahel kontris for joint statement wey General Assimi Goita, President of Mali write, accuse di ICC say dem dey pursue certain actors for less privileged kontris non-stop and dem don "prove incapable" to judging di worst crimes for di world.

Di move na di latest by di junta-led states wey bin also comot from di regional bloc, Ecowas and form dia own Alliance for Sahel States (AES).

Di three kontris bin signal dia determination to uphold sovereignty wen dem turn into local peace and justice systems, wit commitment to human rights and di fight against impunity in line wit societal values.

Na for 2002 dem establish di judicial body wit di mandate to prosecute cases of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression.

Since dem establish di International Criminal Court, di ICC don receive thirty-three cases.

Pipo wey dey criticise di judicial body include di President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame wey bin accuse di court of bias wey dia aim na to try only Africans.

Wit all dis criticisms, supporters of di court say, na di weak judicial system for Africa dey force individuals and govment to go find justice wey dey make dem carry dia cases go meet di international body.

Di Sahel kontris wey dey currently battle insecurity wey jihadist groups dey do, don cut ties wit some western kontris including France, di former colonial power.

Dem don also form new relationships wit Russia wit di aim to increase military support and foster economic interests.

Thirty-three out of di fifty-four kontris for Africa na members of di ICC wey bin don open investigations for some kontris

Dis kontris include di Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Sudan, Uganda, and Ivory Coast.

Di treaty wey establish di court allow members to withdraw. Dis move go only dey effective afta one year from di time of notice.

For 2017, Burundi become di first and only African kontri to successfully withdraw from di ICC.

Wetin be ICC and how dem dey work

Di International Criminal Court dey try individuals for genocide, war crimes, oda crimes against humanity, and aggression.

Dem dey also investigate wen e dey necessary, and also try individuals wey dey charged wit gravest crimes of concern to di international community.

Di International Court dey also participate for di global fight to end impunity, and through international criminal justice.

Dia aim na to hold pipo wey dey responsible accountable for dia crimes and to help prevent dis crimes make e no happun again.

Na di last resort, and e dey seek to complement, not replace, national Courts.

E dey governed by di international treaty wey dem call di Rome Statute.

Di ICC na di first permanent international criminal court for di world.

Any kontri wey join di Rome Statute system don take stand against di pipo wey no go fit answer to anybody before now afta dem commit crime big or systematic crime.

Di ICC want more kontris to join di fight against impunity, so criminals go fit get dia punishment, and e go also help prevent future occurrences of dis crimes.

Di court get ova 900 staff members from almost 100 kontris.

Na six official languages dem dey use , wey include English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish.

According to dia official website, di judges FOR ICC bin don issue 61 arrest warrants sake of cooperation from different kontris.

Dem don detain 22 pipo for di ICC detention centre wey bin don appeare before di Court.

Dem neva still find 30 pipo and dem bin also drop charges against eight pipo sake of deaths.

Since 2002 di judges for ICC judge bin don issue nine summonses to appear before di court.

Dem don also issue 11 convictions and 4 acquittals.