A human rights organisation, THURIST-Nigeria has urged President Bola Tinubu’s government to support South Africa's petition against Israel at the International Court of Justice, Hague.
South Africa had filed a case against Israel at the ICJ, accusing it of committing genocide in Gaza.
During opening statements at the ICJ, South African lawyers said the latest Gaza war is part of decades of Israeli oppression of Palestinians.
The court “has the benefit of the past 13 weeks of evidence that shows incontrovertibly a pattern of conduct and related intention” that amounts to “a plausible claim of genocidal acts,” South African lawyer Adila Hassim told the judges and audience in a packed room of the Peace Palace in The Hague.
Hamas officials had expressed hope the court would rule favourably in the case launched by South Africa.
“We welcome the convening of the [case] on the accusation of ethnic cleansing and genocide,” Basem Naim said. “We are looking forward to seeing a decision by the court that would achieve justice for the [Palestinian] victims, end the aggression on Gaza, and hold the war criminals accountable.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted the case and vowed to continue fighting Hamas, the militant group whose fighters invaded Israeli communities on October 7 and killed some 1,200 people, mainly civilians.
However, Sulaymon A. Tadese ESQ, Director General, THURIST-Nigeria in a statement said it was necessary to call on Nigeria as a signatory to the Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in 1948, with an outstanding record of intervention and prevention of war given its long reign of civilian rule for decades, to be at the forefront of the struggle to put a permanent end to the ongoing war in Palestine by the Israeli Government.
Sulaymon explained that the Israeli war in occupied Palestine is needless and might escalate beyond imagination, except with the support of peace-loving nations of the world including Nigeria.
The statement reads in parts, “This is an upside-down world — the state of Israel is accused of genocide while it is fighting genocide,” he said in a video statement. “The hypocrisy of South Africa screams to the heavens.
"The increasing spate of killing in the ongoing war in Palestine and the likelihood of escalation is very high especially in Nigeria amidst the shocking death toll of civilian communities, Children and women in Palestine.
"The need for international support for a ceasefire and immediate stoppage of all Israeli Military operations in Gaza and other cities in Palestine which the South African government has championed at the Hague deserves to be given full support by Africa's largest economy.
"Recall that, at a time the Sudan war was waxing stronger a strong message that Africa has no atmosphere for war was sent, by the African Union of which Nigeria is a member State.
"It is on this premise that we, as human rights organization in Nigeria whose topmost priority is the call for continuance enjoyment of human and people's rights for all and sundry have deemed it necessary to call on Nigeria as the Giant Nation of Africa and a signatory to the Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in 1948, with an outstanding record of intervention and prevention of war given her long reign of civilian rule for decades, deserves to be at the forefront of the struggle to put a permanent end to the ongoing war in Palestine by the Israeli Government.
"The Israeli war in Palestine is needless and might escalate beyond imagination, except with the support of peace-loving nations of the world including Nigeria.”
"We urge the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to support South Africa on this great move to restore normalcy and ensure world peace," the statement added.