Jang cleared of crime against humanity

The International Court of Justice has 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 proof 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 has any fact that could link the governor to the crime.”



source: nigerianeye