Death warrant: EU asks governors to disobey Jonathan

THE European Union (EU) on Tuesday urged state governors not to sign execution warrants of death row inmates, against the directives by President Goodluck Jonathan. President Jonathan had directed state governors to exercise their constitutional rights by signing death warrants of death row inmates in order to reduce the rising level of criminality in the country. But the union instead urged for joint efforts to uphold the strong abolitionist trend which prevails on the African continent. As a first step towards the abolition of execution, the union strongly encouraged Nigeria to amend its legislation in order to end the use of the death penalty as sole sentence for a number of crimes. EU which spoke through its High Representative, Catherine Ashton on Tuesday expressed deep regret over the execution of four prisoners in Edo State stating that the act represented a break of a seven-year moratoihim on the death penalty and most regrettable setback to Nigeria’s human rights record. The EU high representative stated that the execution went against the commitment repeatedly made by the Nigerian authorities most recently at the EU-Nigeria human rights dialogue held in Abuja in March and at the annual Ministerial meeting in Brussels in May 2013, to maintain the de facto moratorium on executions. She was emphatic that, “executions can never be justified.” She said, “I reiterate the longstanding opposition of the European Union to the use of the death penalty and recall the importance of UN Resolutions calling for the establishment of a moratorium as a first step towards abolishing the death penalty. “I urge the Nigerian authorities to refrain from further executions and urge State Governors not to sign execution warrants. “I call on Nigeria to join the strong abolitionist trend which prevails on the African continent. As a first step towards abolition, I strongly encourage Nigeria to amend its legislation in order to end the use of the death penalty as sole sentence for a number of crimes,” she said. Meanwhile, condemnations have continued to trail death of the four death row inmates who were hanged in Benin City, Edo State on Monday after their death warrants were signed by the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole. UK’ Minister for Africa, Mark Simmonds in condemning the execution of the prisoners urged authorities to halt further executions. He expressed regret that the execution came only a few months before the Universal Periodic Review of Nigeria by the UN Human Rights Council. culled from Tribune newspaper