The Campaign for Democracy (CD), South-East Region has urged the International Criminal Court (ICC), Hogue to probe former Military Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon for crime against humanity.
“ICC should probe Gowon for master-minding the killing of over 2 million Igbo children and youths during the unnecessary Nigerian-Biafra civil war,’’ CD said in a two-page statement on Friday.
The statement, which was issued to newsmen in Onitsha, Anambra, was signed by Dede Uzor A. Uzor, Chairman, CD South-East Region.
“Going by the atrocities committed against the defenseless Igbos by the then military Head-of-State, Gen. Gowon and his lieutenants during the 30 months civil war; it is now crucial that Gowon and his co-horts would be arrested and brought to book.
“They should account for the deaths especially through Gowon regime of economic and food blockades, which is not in-line with international war engagement rules.
“The starvation and economic blockade led to the massive death.
“And this harsh economic realities set-up by the regime led to the death of the cream of the Igbo-nation, who were unaware of the cause of the war in the first place,’’ it said.
The statement said that people killed during the Nigeria-Biafra war was more than the ones killed during the Liberia civil war, of which Charles Taylor was arrested and jailed by the ICC.
“We are calling on President Goodluck Jonathan to arrest Gowon and hand him over to ICC for prosecution and for him to define his role in the whole saga of the war to the World.
“Since nobody has the right to waste human lives especially to the magnitude that was lost in a mere 30 months war between people that have long-aged historical ties as a country,’’ it added.
The statement, however, urged the ICC to issue international warrant for the arrest of the former head of state in order to serve as a deterrent to war hungry leaders in Africa.
“Especially as the war veterans as well as some children who survived his onslaught are living and would be willing to testify in any court,’’ it said.
