ICC prosecutor to pursue Boko Haram war crimes charges

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court says she’ll ask for a full investigation into possible war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed by Boko Haram during its protracted conflict with the Nigerian government.

Fatou Bensouda said her office had completed a preliminary examination and found a “reasonable basis to believe” that the Islamist extremist movement and its splinter groups had committed acts constituting crimes against humanity.

These included murder, rape, sexual slavery, including forced pregnancy and forced marriage; enslavement and torture.