THE International Criminal Court (ICC)  has acknowledged a petition filed against the Nigerian government by Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.

The self-acclaimed ‘Yoruba  Nation’ activist together with Leader of Ilana Omo Oodua Banji Akintoye; Leader of Yoruba Strategy Simisade Kuku; Imam of Yoruba in Ilorin Raheem Aduranigba, and over 40 other Yoruba Nation groups had petitioned the Geneva-based institution to demand the seccession of the Yoruba people from the Nigerian state.

The agitators accused Nigerian authorities, including past and present heads of security agencies, of committing crimes against humanity and genocide, particularly against Yoruba people of Ekiti, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ogun, Okun Land in Kogi, and Kwara states.

The ICC’s Head of Information and Evidence Unit of the Office of the Prosecutor Mark P. Dilon, who acknowledged the petition, said the ICC would notify parties as soon as a decision was reached to formally commence investigation into this petition.

“This communication has been duly entered in the Communications Register of the Office. We will give consideration to this communication, as appropriate, in accordance with the provisions of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court,” he said.

“As soon as a decision is reached to formally commence investigation into this petition, we will inform you, in writing, and provide you, with reasons for this decision.”