A coalition of Nigerian Christian bodies under the aegis of the Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN) has called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the United Nations (UN) to immediately launch an independent investigation into alleged ongoing genocide against Christians in Nigeria.

The coalition claimed that the scale and pattern of killings in parts of the country meet the international definition of genocide under the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and the Rome Statute of the ICC.

The coalition includes Middle Belt Voice, National Christian Elders Forum, National Prayer Altar, Apostolic Round Table, Stefanos Foundation, Lay Faithful Trust Foundation, among others.

President of the United States, Donald Trump, had raised concern over the killings of Christians in Nigeria, warning that America would intervene if the killings of Christians continued.

The Nigerian government has repeatedly denied the claim.

Speaking on behalf of the coalition at a press conference on Thursday, Convener of the Christian Social Movement of Nigeria, Pastor Bosun Emmanuel, called on the United Nations and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to conduct an independent probe to ascertain their claims.

Quoting provisions of the Genocide Convention and the global “Responsibility to Protect” framework, the coalition maintained that the international community, particularly the UN and ICC, has both the authority and obligation to intervene in situations of mass atrocities.

He said: “We humbly express our most sincere appreciation to the enviable President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump, for his kind and timely intervention in Nigeria to help put a stop to the ongoing genocide against Christians.

“We totally affirm our unreserved support to whatever means or policy he deems necessary in achieving his divinely inspired objective in Nigeria.

“Second, amid repeated denials of Christian genocide in Nigeria, it is our position that the most effective way of proving the veracity of Christian genocide in Nigeria is by the intervention of the appropriate organs of the United Nations and the International Criminal Court (ICC) tasked with proving the truth about genocide and crimes against humanity.”

According to the group, denials by some government officials, religious leaders and regional bodies do not invalidate the claims of targeted attacks.

Emmanuel argued that the responsibility to determine whether genocide has occurred rests with international investigators and not with local actors with vested interests.

The movement also backed the recent designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” by the United States, saying foreign intervention has become necessary due to the government’s alleged failure to protect vulnerable communities.

The body criticised the African Union and some Muslim groups, including the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and other organisations, for denying Christian genocide in the country.

The coalition added: “What constitutes the crime of genocide in international criminal law is well spelt out in Article II of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, ratified by UN General Assembly resolution 260 A (III) of 9 December 1948.

“Similarly, Part 2, Article 6 of the 17 July 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court clearly stipulates what constitutes genocide. It is, therefore, laughable that some people would think that the mere denial of what constitutes genocide translates to its non-occurrence with Christians in Nigeria.

“Genocide is a crime recognised by international law as aforecited and, thus, its occurrence can only be established by statutory international investigators empowered by the aforesaid exacting laws, and not by rented officials and crowds of unscrupulous agent provocateurs.

“We therefore hereby request the United Nations Security Council, in conjunction with the International Criminal Court (ICC), to immediately send a team of investigators to ascertain the veracity of Christian genocide in Nigeria.”