Execution Directive Rights Groups, Tell Jonathan To Withdraw Convicts

Two human rights groups have advised President Goodluck Jonathan to withdraw his directive to governors on the execution of prisoners on death row.

The groups – Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project and  the Human Rights Law Service – gave the advice in separate statements on Wednesday.
The groups, in their statements to  the News Agency of Nigeria, condemned the recent execution of four prisoners in Edo State.
SERAP, in a statement by its Executive Director, Mr. Adetokunbo Mumuni, said it had petitioned the African Commission to ask Jonathan to withdraw the directive.
Mumuni said the petition was filed by SERAP’s counsel, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), and addressed to the Chairperson of the Working Group on Death Penalty, Zainabo Kayitesi.
He said SERAP would seek adequate compensation to be paid to the families of the four executed prisoners.
He added, “Unless the African Commission urgently intervenes in this case, there is a risk of irreversible denial of several death row prisoners in Nigeria.
“This will, in turn, render nugatory, the resolutions on moratorium on executions by the African Commission and the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly.”
Programme Officer, HURILAWS, Mr. Collins Okeke, said the signing of the execution warrants was a draw back on Nigeria’s human rights campaign.
Okeke said, “With regard to the moratorium on death penalty, though we voted against it in the UN General Assembly resolution, Nigeria continues to exercise a self-imposed moratorium.
“We, therefore, urge the Federal and state governments to retrace their steps,  and to observe its international commitments and obligations by leaving in place the moratorium on executions in Nigeria.”