THE CASE FOR DEATH PENALTY - ADAMS OSHIOMHOLE SIGNS THE DEATH PENALTY LAW FOR KIDNAPPING [OCTOBER 18, 2013]

            We, the comrades of Unit 1012, send our thanks and our utmost respect to Adams Oshiomhole, the Governor of Edo State, Nigeria, who signed into law a bill prescribing the death penalty for convicted kidnappers in the state on October 18, 2013. On July 4 that year, he courageously spoke out in defense of the death penalty at the second annual seminar on the “Role of Public Complaints Commission in a democratic Nigeria’ organized by the Public Complaint Commission, in Abuja on July 4, 2013.

           

            We believe that Chief Justice Rayner Goddard would be proud of this Governor if he was alive today. Like Goddard, Oshiomhole showed his love and care for the victims and their grieving families. God bless you! You deserve the Rayner Goddard Act of Courage Award.

Adams Oshiomhole

          To remember this event, We will post an article from Duro Onabule:

INTERNET SOURCE: http://sunnewsonline.com/new/the-case-for-death-penalty/

The case for death penalty

By Our Reporter on October 16, 2015 Columns, Duro Onabule

Some time ago, the world marked a so-called anti-death penalty day. Surprisingly, the event went virtually uncelebrated in Nigeria, which is notorious for almost exclusively “anything” world day. But this is not to conclude that our libertarians have given up their agitation for the abolition of death penalty, an unmeritorious venture sold to them by foreign hypocrites.

It is unclear why antagonists of death penalty are on a fruitless journey, at least in Nigeria. These antagonists comprise mainly Britain, European countries and, as to be expected, United States. We are obliged to obey God’s 10 commandments or are they no longer God’s commandments? If they are, did God, when handing down the commandments, allow us to pick or choose which of His commandments to obey? It is commandment that human beings must not steal. Hence all over the world, those who steal are punished by the society. Equally, according to God, we must not commit adultery. All over the world, marriages are dissolved on grounds of adultery. In the same vein, God listed among His commandments that we must not kill. That was the background of death penalty, as the punishment for murder. They may preach to us to allow God to inflict His deemed punishment for murderers. Why, at the beginning, did those who introduced death penalty to us, not similarly allow God, even now to inflict his deemed punishment on those who break His (God’s) other laws against stealing or adultery? We would have anarchy on our hands. That is why hundreds of murders are committed daily in United States. It is hardly safer in Britain today, where, since the abolition of death penalty, murder of the old and young, especially innocent babies, is committed for the fun of it.

The most valid point against the abolitionists was made by Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, when an Amnesty International official came calling with the arrogance and rashness to lecture us on the barbarity of death penalty. Facing up to his guest, Oshiomhole lectured him (the Amnesty International official) that even God does not condone those who violate His commandments. Hence, God created hell specially for sinners. Are we not taught by pastors and imams every time that hell awaits sinners? What is the mode of punishment in hell? Is it a tea party or well-deserved agony? Who has God’s authority to change or withdraw His laws?

We must, in any case, challenge the sincerity of the international abolitionist gang, especially in Britain, Europe and the United States. When is death penalty not a death penalty? No matter what, the fact remains that condemned men and women all over the world, even in regimented societies, suffer their fate only after enjoying their constitutional right of fair hearing. In places like the United States, such fair hearing lasts up to 20 years and more in some cases, to remove all doubt by allowing review of cases by appeal and  supreme courts, even granting last minute stay of executions.

Nigeria is drifting to that level, as murder trials now extend to 10 years and more to conclude one way or the other. If such accused, in normal situations, is conceded full right of fair hearing, and is still confirmed guilty, why must he not suffer the penalty clearly stipulated by the law?

Worse still is the hypocrisy of the death penalty abolitionists, particularly Britain, United States and Russia, the modern day international warmongers. When security forces all over the world are authorised to shoot criminals to death, even if in self-defence, is that not death penalty, especially without due process of the law guaranteeing right of fair hearing? If such death penalty is statutory, why not the execution of those already tried in law courts? In any war or international crisis, these countries allow no consideration for innocent victims of collateral damage. It is even worse for the, admittedly, war criminals. The convention is for these European countries (Britain included) and United States to unleash well-armed ground forces and air force bombers against the enemies. No matter how disguised, the military operation is death penalty.

If, therefore, death penalty is barbaric and must be abolished, the world must go the whole hog. Without doubt, terrorists constitute threat to humanity, especially innocent peace loving ones. Such threat is equally posed to society by murderers. If, therefore, we are blackmailed that murder convicts must not be executed, what is the excuse to, so to speak, execute war opponents and terrorists through shooting and bombings all over the world? Death penalty is death penalty, whether by execution after due process of law or unilaterally by nations against terrorists, Terrorists must be wiped out, just as societies must not pamper murderers.

The report of an international investigation into the crash of the Malaysian passenger plane around Ukraine concluded that the aircraft was shot down  by Russian-backed separatists in Crimea. In that tragedy, almost  300 passengers were murdered. If it was legitimate in a war for Russian complicity with the Crimeans to execute those passengers, even if they were Ukrainian enemies in a war, why should it not be legitimate for peace-loving societies to enforce existing laws against murder after due process of law? Not long ago, Americans similarly bombed a hospital at Kabul, Afghanistan on the excuse that the Talibans were operating from the hospital. Not surprisingly, there were fatal casualties. In these two incidents, all those who died were victims of death penalty carried out by Russia and United States to achieve their respective  military goal.

One law, even an international law/convention, cannot in the year of our Lord 2015,  legitimise death penalty without  trial, while at the same time, those duly tried and convicted under the law on the domestic scene are expected to be spared the penalty. Let there be no doubt that terrorists must die even through an international convention, which does not stipulate trial. Equally, those convicted under the law for trial must be executed. It is conceded that there could be miscarriage of justice, like those detected in United States occasionally, after 20 or 30 years, which might be worthless if the convict had been executed. Even though no life is worth taking wrongly to enforce justice, yet, the logic must also be stretched to international conflicts under which law almost 300 innocent air passengers were summarily executed by Crimeans with the complicity of the Russians. Even if the air crash victim were Ukrainian soldiers, international convention allows their execution through aerial battle. Is that not death penalty?

The debate on abolition of death penalty is particularly relevant in Nigeria today in view of the cruel murder of three Nigerians within 24 hours.. Even with the death penalty on our statute, a dutiful official of Lagos State government, Tajudeen Disu was shot dead by those described as protesting villagers while carrying out his  function. Whatever the grievances of the protesters, they had no right to murder any fellow citizen, especially an official in the service of the government, What penalty except death for whoever might be responsible for the man’s murder? Failure to carry out the death penalty in this case will, in future, expose other state officials to risk of being similarly murdered in the performance of their duties.

There should be no sentiments. In 1953, under the colonial rule, 11 Oro cultists were hanged at Broad Street prison in Lagos for the murder of a Muslim preacher, Alfa Bisiriyu Apalara. Again in 1955, five fellow musicians were in the same prison executed for the murder of their leader, Israel Njemanze. If 100 criminals conspire to kill one person and were found guilty, the law is that all the culprits must be hanged. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode must be prepared to enforce the law or he will  have anarchy on his hands. Ambode’s handling of this crime will show who, between government and criminals, is in charge of Lagos State.

Abolition of death penalty in Nigeria? Not with the current criminal rampage of armed robbers on banks, one during which a mother and her innocent baby were killed in the supposed safety of their room at FESTAC Town in Lagos. These criminals get more daring only because of the submission of misguided libertarians that death penalty has  not deterred commission of murder. In Nigeria or United States? On the contrary, these criminals are ever afraid to die or even face trial. For example, why did those who murdered Tajudeen Disu disappear and the police had to search for them?

Also, after murdering innocent citizens at cinema theatre or public restaurants or churches or pupils/students at schools or universities in United States, why do the alleged culprits enter a plea of diminished responsibility or even insanity in desperation to escape death penalty? Why do they decline to be cross-examined  throughout trial?

Murder criminals must be put to death in Nigeria and the world.