• No religion forbids it, says Aliyu
Governors in the 36 states of the federation are yet to arrive at a consensus on the need or otherwise for them to sign various death warrants for kidnappers, armed robbers, terrorists and other criminals awaiting their signatures.
While the international community has continued to mount pressure on Nigeria to abolish death warrant from its statute books, the citizens faced with increasing cases of violent crimes and abduction have charged the governors to sign the death sentences awaiting their signatures.
But the governors, for political considerations such as the bandwagon effect on their electoral chances, especially on their possible successors, have declined assent to the document. It was also learnt that some of the governors do not want the local and international civil societies to feast on their actions whenever they do so.
Nigerian Pilot learnt that there are over 1,000 Nigerians on death row in prisons across the country.
According to Advocats Sans Frontiers France, ASF, also known as Lawyers without Borders, there are over 1,000 convicts awaiting the hangman’s noose in Nigerian prisons. The figure was disclosed by the Head of ASF in Nigeria, Angela Uwandu.
And at separate for and against interactions with Nigerian Pilot, Governors Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, Muazu Babangida Aliyu (Niger State) and Jonah Jang (Plateau State) expressed divergent views on the matter.
While Governor Uduaghan declared that he would never sign a death warrant for any convict, Dr. Aliyu said that if the sentence comes from a competent court, he will quickly endorse it. He hinged his position on the fact that no religion in the country forbids death sentence for any criminal found guilty by the court.
Governor Jang, who said he was not afraid to sign such a document, however said that none has been brought to his attention.
Except for Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, who has signed the execution of convicted armed robbers, no other governor in the state has demonstrated the willingness to do so.
Governor Oshiomhole had on August 22, 2013 said he would sign the death warrants of convicts who killed their victims.
The governor stated this when members of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organisations, CONGOs, visited him in Benin City.
He said: “There are seven convicts whose cases are being reviewed. I will sign the death warrant of any of them, especially kidnappers found to have killed any of their victims. I believe that those who kill by the sword should also die by the sword.”
But Governor Uduaghan, whose House of Assembly has passed a bill stipulating death sentence for kidnappers, has shut it down and declined assent to the proposed law.
The state has the highest number of kidnap cases in Nigeria. Among high profile kidnap cases in the state are commissioners, lawmakers, Judges, mother of the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and 70-year-old cousin of Governor Uduaghan, amongst others.
Members of the state House of Assembly had on November 2012 unanimously passed the “Delta State Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Terrorism Bill, 2012,” but like the Biblical Pontius Pilate, Uduaghan had refused to sign it.
Defending his action, Governor Uduaghan, said: “It is my view that death sentence punishment is not likely to serve as deterrent or antidote.”
He continued: “There is already a death penalty. Every kidnapper is an armed robber. So, I don’t know why we are talking now of death penalty for kidnappers. Why do I have to sign another law for kidnappers? Why this unnecessary debate about Uduaghan not agreeing to sign the death penalty for kidnappers and all that?”
…I will sign – Gov Aliyu
To Governor Aliyu, where there is a need to sign such a document, he would not be reluctant to do so.
He said: “I will not hesitate to sign any death warrant that emanates from a court of competent jurisdiction, not minding the unnecessary opposition against such by members of human rights organisations.”
Governor Aliyu argued that since his signature would not be against the tenets of any religion, it would mean shying away from his responsibility as the chief executive of his state.
The governor said if faced with the responsibility, he would sign the death warrant of anyone condemned to death for any crime.
He made his position known in Minna, the state capital when he received the Assistant Comptroller-General of Prisons, Alhaji Abubakar Falki, who visited him at the Government House, recently.
I am not afraid but…-Jang
Through the Plateau State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Edward Pwajok, the governor said that no case of death warrant-signing had been brought to his attention since he assumed office seven years ago.
He said: “The governor can’t sign what he has not received. It is not a deliberate act but nothing has been brought before him.
“The state government is aware that many persons have been sentenced to death or are facing life sentences but some of them are allowed to appeal at the higher courts,” the commissioner said.
He added that the Prerogative of Mercy Committee had not been inaugurated in the state.
“There is good collaboration between the state government and the prison service. When the prison service finds some prisoners who have developed good character while in jail, they are granted pardon where necessary,” he stated.
Source: Nigerian Pilot
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