A social media user has claimed that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The claim, posted on Facebook by @VoiceUpNaija, has garnered over 140 likes, 92 comments, and 62 shares.
Accounts on Facebook and LinkedIn also shared the claim.
“BREAKING: ICC issues international arrest warrant for Nigerian Senate President over sexual harassment allegations,” the post reads.
“The International Criminal Court (ICC) has reportedly placed Nigerian Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on an international sanctions list, ordering his immediate arrest if sighted in any country.”
The claim follows the recent altercation between Akpabio and Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi central, over seat allocation in the upper legislative chamber.
Subsequently, the senate referred Akpoti-Uduaghan to the committee on ethics, privileges, and public petitions for disciplinary review.
On February 28, Akpoti-Uduaghan accused the senate president of making sexual advances towards her in his office and residence in Akwa Ibom.
She was suspended on March 6 over the seat reallocation altercation for six months.
On March 11, the Kogi senator reported Akpabio to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
DID ICC ORDER AN ARREST WARRANT FOR GODSWILL AKPABIO?
ICC is a global criminal court established to investigate and prosecute individuals accused of heinous crimes of concern to the international community.
To verify the claim, CableCheck scanned the ICC’s website to ascertain if they had published the arrest order but did not find the report.
We also observed that no credible media platform reported the arrest.
Cablecheck also contacted Fadi El-Abdallah, ICC spokesperson, who said there was no arrest warrant of such involving Akpabio or anyone from Nigeria.
El-Abdallah noted that the ICC is obligated to announce the opening of any investigation on its platform before it issues an arrest warrant for any suspect in a case.
“There are no arrest warrants related to Nigeria, where the Prosecutor has not announced the opening of an investigation, a step necessary before reaching the stage of delivering arrest warrants,” El-Abdallah told CableCheck via email.
VERDICT
The claim that ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Akpabio is false.
