The International Criminal Court has according to the BBC opened a preliminary investigation into the #EndSARS protests which rocked Nigeria in recent weeks before taking a violent turn due to the activities of hoodlums.
The confirmation according to the BBC was contained in a statement from the office of the prosecutor which said it had received information on alleged crimes during the violence that characterised the end of the protests.
The examination will according to the office of the prosecutor “assess whether the legal criteria for opening an investigation under the Rome Statute are met”.
For weeks crowds of peaceful protesters gathered in streets in major towns of the country to demonstrate against police brutality, leading to a crackdown.
Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, confirmed the death of 51 civilians, 11 police officers and seven soldiers in the violence that followed the protests.
Rights group Amnesty International said security forces opened fire on protesters, killing and injuring a number of people but the Police and the Army have both rejected the allegations by Amnesty as false.
The ICC said it will be making its findings from the preliminary investigation public.
