Niamey, Niger — Three West African states led by military juntas —Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger , have announced their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the tribunal of bias and serving as a tool of “neocolonial repression.”
In a joint statement, the leaders of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) declared they no longer recognize the court’s jurisdiction, arguing the ICC has become “a global example of selective justice” and is “incapable” of prosecuting war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide.
The juntas — Assimi Goita of Mali, Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso, and Abdourahamane Tiani of Niger — said they plan to establish “indigenous mechanisms for peace and justice,” following a similar rationale used earlier this year when they withdrew from ECOWAS.
Since taking power through coups between 2020 and 2023, the three regimes have formed the AES confederation, distancing themselves from Western allies, especially France, and drawing closer to Russia for military support.All three countries continue to face deadly insurgencies from jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State, while their own armies have been accused of serious abuses against civilians.
The ICC, headquartered in The Hague, was established in 2002 to prosecute genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. While over 120 countries are parties to the Rome Statute, major global powers like the US, China, Russia, and Israel have also declined to join or recognize its jurisdiction.
Sunday Buna Ibrahim is a seasoned journalist with Daily Frontier (dailyfrontier.com.ng), where he reports on security, conflicts, and humanitarian issues across Nigeria’s Middle Belt, particularly Plateau and Benue States. He also serves as a News Producer at Vision FM Radio in Abuja. Prior to joining Daily Frontier, he worked with Radio Nigeria, Fombina FM Yola in Adamawa State between 2019 and 2020.
