By Innocent Anaba
LAGOS — The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, yesterday, threatened to drag the Nigerian government before the International Criminal Court of Justice for warrants to be issued against the leaders of organisations that carried out the recent killings and burning of churches in some northern states over the results of April 16 presidential election in the country.

The NBA warned that the 1967-1970 civil war started on a similar note of loss of lives. It also called on the Federal Government to constitute a high powered commission of inquiry to collate the extent of loss of lives and property and every opportunity given to aggrieved or affected persons to speak out.

NBA President, Mr Joseph Daudu, SAN, in a statement, yesterday, said: “It is with great disappointment and sadness that the NBA notes the tragic aftermath of the presidential election, particularly after the rightful winner was declared by INEC as duly elected.

“In the past three days, hundreds of innocent Nigerians, who are not of northern extraction or are from the North and are Christians have been brutally and savagely killed, churches in Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi, Yobe among others, have been torched/burnt down, shops and other businesses of Nigerians referred to as strangers in their own country have been looted.

“The highways are no longer passable as Christians and other identifiable non indigenes are pulled out of vehicles and slaughtered. The implication is legion.

“Federal Government of Nigeria must vigorously address the security issue. The approach to the present crisis is deplorable. It questions the unity of this country and calls for urgent mechanisms to address that concept.

“There is no point in living in any part of the world where your ‘hosts’ turn against you killing and maiming their ‘guests’ if they can be so referred to. It is necessary to advise that this episode must not be swept under the carpet and the cold blooded murderers must be brought to book and justice served to the memory of all that untimely lost their lives in this crisis.

“If , however, the Federal Government  refuses or omits to bring the culprits to justice we shall be left with no option that to approach the International Criminal Court of Justice for warrants to issue against the leaders of organisations that gave platform for these crimes that include mass murder and genocide.

Government must also act in the interest of maintaining the unity of this country. Unless we have so soon forgotten the lessons of history, the 1967_1970 civil war started on a similar note of loss of lives. If not curbed by bringing persons who partook in such crimes to book, then what we may be up against will be terrifying.  What however is not known is where the theatre of redress will be located.

“Consequently, government is enjoined to bring all those involved in this carnage to book. It is also necessary to constitute a high powered commission of inquiry so as to collate the extent of loss of lives and property and every opportunity given to aggrieved or affected persons to speak out, Thirdly, such commission should be empowered to pay compensation for lives and property lost and same be deducted from the accounts of states where the losses or deaths occurred.

Fourthly, the National Assembly should consider enacting stiffer laws to protect the lives, liberty and property of every Nigerian regardless of where he resides in this country. Fifthly and most importantly is that the Governorship elections in the affected States must be postponed until at least law and order are fully restored.

Part of the objective of the masterminds of this purge is to intimidate non indigenes for the last election as well as punish them for daring to vote according to their choice and conscience. It will be a travesty of the electoral process if the remaining election is conducted under this very ominous cloud in the affected States.

“The NBA thanks Nigerians in states not affected for resisting the temptation to take reprisal action. An eye for an eye will make the whole country blind.

This is a major test for the Jonathan administration, which will succeed itself shortly and it should not think lightly of the assignment ahead.

The Party is over. Nigerians expect security, the industrialisation of the nation, the provision of basic amenities such as power, education, health, transportation and a peaceful environment for the conduct of business. The in_coming government must deliver,” he added.