ICJ Clears Jang of Crimes against Humanity

After about five years of waiting, the International Court of Justice
on Wednesday exonerated Plateau State governor, Jonah Jang, in the
allegation of crime against humanity.

The ICJ gave the governor a clean bill while delivering judgment on a
case pending before it since 2009.

It would be recalled that the Hausa Muslim community in Jos dragged
the Plateau government before the ICJ in 2009, accusing the governor
of masterminding killing of Hausas and Muslims in the city during the
2008 political crises.

The appellants accused Jang of genocide, ethnic cleansing and mass
killing when the governor allegedly issued a shoot-at-sight order to
the police in November 2008.

They also alleged that the state police command, acting on the
governor’s orders, killed about 750 Muslims during the 2008 crises.

However, the ICJ after lengthy investigations declared that the
appellants have failed to prove their allegations.

Responding to questions from journalists on Wednesday, the Plateau
State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Adward Pwajok,
said: “The ICJ has vindicated Plateau State government and the
governor of all allegations.”

He said: “The state government was dragged before the court for
genocide, ethnic cleansing and mass killing. The case was instituted
by aggrieved parties in 2009.

“When the case was instituted, the state government did not wait to be
invited. We went there to respond to the case almost immediately. We
then left the court to conduct its own investigations.

“Apart from the court, there are several civil society organizations
across the globe that also conducted independent investigations into
the allegations. But at the end of the day, none of them, including
the court had any fact that could link the governor to the crime.”

DailyTimesNG