Sudan president leaves Nigeria after arrest demands

Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir, who was attending an AU health summit, has left Nigeria following demands for his capture over war crime charges.

Sudanese officials say Bashir flew back to Khartoum on Monday – less than 24 hours after his arrival. He took part in an African Union summit on AIDS that runs through Tuesday. The officials say his departure was not related to the calls for his arrest.

Activists filed suit Monday in Nigeria’s Federal High Court in an effort to make authorities arrest the Sudanese leader. Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in Sudan’s Darfur region.

The ICC said Tuesday that it had asked Nigeria to arrest Bashir and hand him over to the court’s custody.

Human Rights Watch, which called Bashir’s visit an affront to his victims, argued that Nigeria was obligated to arrest Bashir because of its membership in the court.

A Nigerian presidential spokesman had indicated that authorities would not arrest Bashir. The spokesman said Bashir came at the invitation of the African Union, which has supported Bashir’s refusal to surrender to the ICC or accept the court’s authority.

The ICC accuses Bashir him of orchestrating crimes including murder, rape and extermination against civilians in Darfur, where rebel groups have been fighting the Bashir government since 2003.

Bashir has denied the charges and defied the ICC’s warrant for his arrest, but is careful to visit countries only that are not members of the ICC or have guaranteed his safety.

Several African countries including South Africa, have refused entry to the Sudanese leader.

Source: The Times Of Earth And Agencies