GBAGBO poses such a substantial threat to the West African sub-region in particular and to Africa in general that he should not be ignored. As a matter of fact, he is a threat to Nigeria as a nation.

A couple of weeks ago, our embassy in Cote d’Ivoire was attacked when the Federal Government hinted that it could provide asylum for the embattled Gbagbo, thereby violating our country’s sovereignty, which is against international law and diplomatic protocols.

I strongly feel that Nigeria should take severe measures against Gbagbo and his men to show that as a moving force in Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU) and the United Nations, he is made to pay the price for his dangerous power game.

It is a well-known fact that the international community has labeled him, his whole family and his men as outlaws. To start with, the African Union suspended Cote d’Ivoire until Allasane Quatara is allowed to take over as president, saying that it viewed Quatara as the country’s democratically elected leader.

Furthermore, the United Nations Organisation (UNO) not only condemned Gbagbo’s refusal to hand over power, but refused to call back its peacekeeping troops in the country when Gbagbo demanded a total withdrawal of UN troops with the claim that they were violating his country’s sovereignty.

Notably, the fact that the United Nations forcefully rejected Gbagbo’s orders to terminate its peace keeping mission in Cote d’Ivoire is a demonstration of the global village where leaders can no longer behave the way they choose and hide under the clause of Westphalia Treaty of Peace to use the concept of equality of nations to plead non-interference in domestic affairs.

In fact, in the diplomatic world of today, Gbagbo shall face trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity if he allows his country to slip into a second round of civil war following his refusal to relinquish power in Cote d’ Ivoire, where hapless citizens and nationals of other countries have become targets of desperate attacks by people suspected to be supporters of the desperate leader.

The Hague-based ICC was set up in July 2002 in line with the 1945 Rome Statute of the body which is a permanent United Nations tribunal. It was set up to prosecute individuals for acts of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and acts of aggression. Although the official seat of the court is in the Hague, the Netherlands, its proceedings may take place anywhere. The creation of the ICC perhaps constitutes the most significant reform of international law since 1945 – when World War II ended.

To date, the court has opened investigations into situations in northern Uganda, Dafur in western Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central Africa Republic and Kenya. The court has indicted 16 people, including the President of Sudan, Omar Al Bashir. The ICC’s first trial of Congolese militia leader, Thomas Lubanga began on 26 January 2009.

The former president of Liberia, Charles Taylor, who unleashed a reign of terror on his fellow countrymen and foreigners living there, especially to Nigerians resident in Liberia – many of whom are living today without their limbs – at the time of his infamous ‘misrule’, is also standing trial at the moment.But I am of the view that the world should not fold its arms and wait for another war in Cote d’Ivoire before they can drag Gbagbo to court.

Let there be a pre-emptive move against Gbagbo to forestall another prolonged spate of suffering by the innocent citizens of that country, and their neighbours.

Adolf Hitler and tyrannical leaders of his ilk have taught the world a lesson. Violence in any nation is no more a domestic affair, and incendiary power-drunk leaders shall have their fire put out before they consume the citizens around them.

Human rights violations during crisis are products of individual men who came in a package that exploded in infamy and wickedness; and the only way to stop the abductions, arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial and summary executions, acts of sexual violence, and destruction of lives and properties is to get the bad leader before he gets the nation.

Mr. GREG ODOGWU, a public affairs analyst, writes from Lagos.