US, EU condemn Nigeria's inability to hand over President Al-Bashir

ABUJA—The United States government and European Union, yesterday, condemned the Federal Government’s refusal to hand over the Sudanese President, Omar Al Bashir, to the International Criminal Court, ICC, for prosecution over alleged crimes against humanity.
The Sudanese leader was in Abuja last weekend, to attend the just concluded African Union conference on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
In a statement by Information Officer, Rhonda Ferguson-Augustus, the U.S. government said:  “We regret Nigeria’s decision to welcome a visit by Sudanese President, Omar al-Bashir.
“ President Hassan al-Bashir and other Sudanese individuals are subject to ICC arrest warrants for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur.  It is serious cause for concern that these individuals remain at large and continue to travel across international borders.”

*AU SUMMIT: President Goodluck Jonathan (left) and President Omar Albashir of Sudan at the opening of African Union, AU, Heads of State and Governments’ special summit on Hiv/Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Nigeria, yesterday. STATE HOUSE PHOTO.

Reacting to the EU said Nigeria ought to have refused the Sudanese President entry into the country in accordance with ICC’s arrest warrant place on him.
The EU, in a statement by High  Representative, Catherine Ashton, said:  “The High Representative is concerned by the visit of President of Sudan, Al-Bashir, to Nigeria , a state party to the Rome Statute of the ICC.”
The EU noted that President Al-Bashir was under an arrest warrant by the ICC for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
It reiterated the importance for all member states of the United Nations to abide by and implement the resolutions adopted by the Security Council under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, in this case UNSCR 1593(2005).