03/28/2019 Iraq (International Christian Concern) – An Iraqi court has issued a travel ban and an arrest warrant for the former governor of the Nineveh Governorate, Nawfal al-Akoub, on the charges of squandering public funds and abusing his position. The arrest warrant includes the names of his assistant, the contracts department director, and one other province’s employee.
The arrest warrant comes just days after Iraq’s parliament dismissed al-Akoub and his two deputies. His dismissal was in response to a ferry disaster in Mosul. Locals protested and claimed that this disaster was a consequence of the governor profiting over the Hashd al-Shaabi militia’s mafia style management of Nineveh Plains infrastructure.
The Nineveh Plains, the traditional homeland of Iraq’s Christians, was completely destroyed by ISIS. Many Christians have not returned, citing a lack of infrastructure and problems related to security, including the security that Hashd al-Shaabi alleges to provide. Instability and corruption of management in the Nineveh Plains creates further deterrence for those who would otherwise wish to return home.
For interviews with Claire Evans, ICC’s Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org.
