Outrage trails hanging of 4 prisoners in Edo

Edo state on Monday hanged four prisoners, in what was believed to be Nigeria’s first known executions since 2006, drawing outrage from rights activists.
Nigeria has faced international scrutiny over its death penalty, with concerns over whether suspects receive a fair trial in a country where corruption is widespread.
While they would mark the first official, known executions since 2006, Nigerian security forces have been repeatedly accused of extra-judicial killings during that time period.
President Goodluck Jonathan recently called on state governors to sign death warrants, saying it was their responsibility under the law.
The Amnesty International condemned the decision by the Nigerian government to hang the four convicts in Benin city, the capital of Edo state. The body said the hanging was done even as moves by some NGOs to save five of the convicts sentenced to death failed as a federal high court rejected to hear the lawsuit filed to stop the hanging. Two executioners were said to have been called in today to handle the hanging.
Below is a statement by Amnesty International:
Amnesty International has received credible reports that authorities in the state of Edo in southern Nigerian have hanged four men in Benin City Prison on Monday – the first known executions in the country since 2006.
A fifth man remains at imminent risk of execution.
Lucy Freeman, deputy director for Africa at the organization, said:
“If confirmed, these executions mark a sudden, brutal return to the use of the death penalty in Nigeria, a truly dark day for human rights in the country.
“We again urge the Nigerian authorities to stop all executions immediately and return to the moratorium on executions in the country. We oppose the death penalty in all cases without exception, as it is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.”
According to Amnesty International’s Death Sentences and Executions 2012 report, Nigeria sentenced 56 people to death last year, and approximately 1,000 people are reportedly on death row in the country.
Also, a statement by the Legal Defence and Assistance Project, LEDAP, condemns the action:
“LEDAP condemns today’s execution of 4 death row prisoners; Chima Ejiofor, Daniel Nsofor, Osarenmwinda Aiguokhan and Richard Igagu in Edo State despite their pending appeals at the court of appeal. The AG of Edo State and the prison authorities were duly served with the court processes comprising the notice of appeal and motion for stay of execution.”
“Under the Nigerian laws, an appeal and application for stay of execution should restrain further action until the appeal is determined. By executing the prisoners, Nigeria government has demonstrated gross disregard to the rule of law and respect for the judicial process.”
LEDAP and Human Rights, Social Development and Environmental Foundation – HURSDEF on the 19th of October, 2012 filed a suit at the Federal High Court Benin Division, on behalf of death row prisoners earmarked for execution by Edo State Government. In the suit, the death row prisoners in the suit contends that to execute them after over 16 years of trauma, suspense and imminent death would amount to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. The prisoners further asked the court to order the Edo State Governor to commute their death sentences to terms of imprisonment. However, judgment was delivered today against the inmates by Hon Justice Liman of the Federal High Court Benin, holding among other grounds, that the prisoners did not place sufficient facts before the court to substantiate the relief sought in the suit.
LEDAP filed an appeal against the judgment of the Federal High Court delivered today and also a motion for stay of execution pending the outcome of the appeal and served the Notice of Appeal with the Motion for stay of execution on the Attorney General of Edo State and prison authorities in Edo State. Furthermore, all death row prisoners filed a case pending at the Court of Appeal Lagos challenging the decision of state governors to sign their execution warrants (Godwin Pius & Ors vs. Governor of Abia State & Ors).
Both appeals are pending at the Court of Appeal and the Edo State Governor and Comptroller General of Prisons are parties in both appeals. LEDAP is representing the prisoners in both appeal and also a party to the appeal in Edo State.
LEDAP condemns the execution of the four inmates despite the pendency of the appeal and motion for stay of execution filed by the inmates. Execution of the inmates while their appeal is pending is unlawful and amounts to a total disregard to the rule of law and judicial process in any democratic system.