Gabriel Enenche —
A Nigerian businessman, Prince Joseph Kpokpogri, has dragged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Musa Bello, to the International Criminal Court, ICC, at the Hague, Netherlands, citing gross violation of his fundamental human rights.
The case also cited erstwhile Nigerian Senator, Gbenga Ashafa who is the Managing Director the Federal Housing Authority and the Acting Director, Department of Development Control, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, AMMC, Mukhtar Galadima Usman.
Kpokpogri, through a consortium of lawyers, led by Anna Ofunu Ikwute, alleged that the defendants committed “heinous crimes” against him, by illegally, arbitrarily and forcefully demolishing his house located at Guzape hills, FCT Abuja, leading to the destruction of his assets worth over N2.5billion, with the intent to persecute, torture and render him homeless.
He told the international court that his home was demolished, despite a subsisting restraining order against the defendants.
The complainant is among other things, praying the court for an order: “That the ICC Prosecutor on his own accord under Article 15 (1) of the Rome Statute opens a preliminary investigation into the allegations made herein against Muhammad Musa Bello, Senator Gbenga Bareehu Ashafa and Mukhtar Usman Galadima.
“That the ICC Prosecutor also formally “submits to the Pre-Trial Chamber of the ICC a request for authorization of an investigation” of Muhammad Musa Bello, Senator Gbenga Bareehu Ashafa and Mukhtar Usman Galadima under Article 15 (3) of the Rome Statute.
“That the ICC Prosecutor obtain International Arrest Warrant for Muhammad Musa Bello, Senator Gbenga Bareehu Ashafa and Mukhtar Usman Galadima in accordance with Articles 58 1a, 58 1b(i), 58 1b(ii) and 58 1b(iii) and proceed to arrest the Accused from Nigeria so they can face their trial in The Hague, Netherlands for Crimes Against Humanity.
“That the ICC Prosecutor invites our client to The Hague, Netherlands for purposes of tendering more sensitive documents and giving oral testimony concerning his ordeal on Saturday, 14th May, 2022 as masterminded by Muhammad Musa Bello, Senator Gbenga Bareehu Ashafa and Mukhtar Usman Galadima.
“That the ICC Prosecutor compels Muhammad Musa Bello, Senator Gbenga Bareehu Ashafa and Mukhtar Usman Galadima upon conviction under the Rome Statute to jointly pay the sum of $50,000,000 Fifty Million US Dollars as compensation to cover cost of our client’s house inclusive of assets which was demolished as well as the emotional trauma, mental stress, torture and homelessness he has been suffering from Saturday, 14th May, 2022 till date.
“That the ICC Prosecutor compels Muhammad Musa Bello, Senator Gbenga Bareehu Ashafa and Mukhtar Usman Galadima after paying compensation as prayed in paragraph above to tender public apology to our client through Cable News Network, Inc. (CNN), one international magazine as well as three Nigerian newspapers with wide readership.
As well as, “That the ICC Prosecutor upon conviction of Muhammad Musa Bello, Senator Gbenga Bareehu Ashafa and Mukhtar Usman Galadima facilitates the process of barring them from all territories of the United Kingdom, United States of America and United Arab Emirates for the next ten years to serve as deterrence to other criminally-minded citizens of Nigeria”.
