Worried by the plights of many Nigerian workers owed several months of salaries, a Lagos-based rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), yesterday urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate allegation of crimes against humanity levelled against some state governors.

The group in a petition signed by its Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said: “We are seriously concerned that non-payment of workers’ salaries by several state governments in Nigeria has made life impossible to live for the workers and families.”

It, therefore, urged the Prosecutor of the ICC, Mrs. Fatou Bensouda, to urgently commence an investigation proprio motu on the allegation of crimes against humanity committed against tens of thousands of Nigerian workers as a result of non-payment of their salaries, with a view to determining whether this amounts to “other inhumane acts” within the court’s jurisdiction.

SERAP also sought the invitation of representatives of the state governments to provide written or oral testimony to enable the prosecutor determine whether there would be a reasonable basis for an investigation, and to submit a request to the pre-trial chamber for authorisation of an investigation.

The group further urged the Nigerian government to fulfil its obligations under the Rome Statute to co-operate with the ICC, including complying with request to arrest and surrender suspected perpetrators of inhumane acts against Nigerian workers, take testimony, and provide other support to the ICC.

The petition read in part: “SERAP contends that severe deprivation and mental or physical health challenges faced by Nigerian workers as a result of non-payment of their salaries fulfil the requirements of this provision. This means that individual liability may attach to governors who continue to hide under the excuse of ‘limited allocations from Abuja’ to deny these workers the fruit of their labour.

“SERAP is seriously concerned that several state governments in Nigeria are failing and/or refusing to pay workers’ salaries amounting to billions of naira in arrears. The state governments that have failed and/or refused to pay workers’ salaries include: Bayelsa, Benue, Bauchi, Osun, Rivers, Oyo, Ekiti, Kwara, Kogi, Ondo and Plateau states.”

“The state governors ought to know that their actions and/or omissions would likely cause serious physical or mental suffering or a serious attack upon the human dignity of workers whose salaries are not paid.”

“Non-payment of salaries for several months has reduced Nigerian workers to ‘bare life’ or life not worth living, thus taking away their human dignity. The inhumanity of the non-payment of workers’ salaries is illustrated by the serious threat this poses to the workers’ physical and mental health, and family life.