Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has revealed why some state governors are running away from signing death warrants.
It has been reported that the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, had in July urged governors to sign death warrants in order to decongest prisons.
But many civil society organisations (CSOs) and human rights organisations had disagreed with minister, saying death penalty should be replaced with long-term imprisonment.
Speaking on Friday in Bauchi while signing the Violence against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) bill and a bill for the establishment of the Bauchi state penal code, into law, Bala Mohammed said he will soon start to sign death warrants.
According to him, some governors do not want to sign death warrants because of the possibility of erroneously condemning a person to death.
He said: “We will soon be signing some death sentences because there are many and because of justice which has to be taken to a logical conclusion.
I know some governors are running away from signing the death sentences because they exercise restraints on the basis that there may be some element of error.
But to me, I will leave it to my lord (the chief judge) who will prosecute. It’s not my fault. If it is brought to my attention, I will do it.
As for the Violence against Persons Prohibition Act, we know that we are the first in the northern part of the country to enact the law, which is a member’s bill incidentally from the honourable speaker, and it has earned us a lot of respect in the country.
But because of some noticed gaps, it was taken back and it was corrected. We thank the house for making the corrections.”
