Abubakar Malami, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, said this on Monday, in a statement issued by Dr Umar Gwandu, Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations Office, in the Ministry of justice.
Malami was speaking at the opening of the five-day 18th Session of the assembly of State Parties to the Rome Statute, at the International Criminal Court (ICC), at The Hague, Netherlands.
He said Nigeria was also committed to the criminalisation of starvation as a weapon of war under the Rome Statute of the ICC.
“The idea of criminalisation of starvation was mooted by Switzerland. We in Nigeria therefore, call on all state parties to jointly support the initiative.’’
He, however, decried the numerous challenges the International Criminal Court (ICC), had been facing.
“The challenges include increasing attacks against it and its officials, possibilities of further withdrawals from the Rome Statute, weakening of the Rome Statute system and its support across the globe.
Other challenges, he said, included a reduction in multilateral engagement amidst rising tides of hostility, discrimination, and repression around the world.
Malami said Nigeria desired to see ICC overcome all its present challenges and become a global, independent and impartial court, with the capability to rid the world of impunity, the type that characterised World War I and II.
“Nigeria is also determined to work together with state parties to oppose efforts to undermine the works of the Court, its independence and impartiality.
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