Oshiomhole promises to sign more death warrants

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo has said he would sign the death
warrants of convicts who killed their victims.
Mr. Oshiomhole gave this assurance in Benin on Thursday when members
of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organisations (CONGOs) paid him
a courtesy visit. "There are seven convicts whose cases are being
reviewed. I will sign the death warrant of any of them, especially
kidnappers, found to have killed any of their victims. "I believe that
those who kill by the sword should also die by the sword.'' Mr.
Oshiomhole said that signing convicts' death warrants was a signal to
other criminals that the State was a wrong place for criminal
activities. He said that the non-execution of convicted criminals in
the last 15 to 20 years had not led to reduction in criminality in the
state. He, however, said that the government was proposing to the
state legislature that if kidnappers released their victims unharmed
and without raping them, suchkidnappers should be given life
imprisonment. Mr. Oshiomhole also said that if the need arose, the Edo
Government would make law to protect thegirl-child from underage
marriage. He, however, pointed out that the girl-child marriage was
not an issue in the state, adding that the problem with Nigeria was
not in making laws but implementing them. The governorsaid that there
was the need to strengthen the partnership between the Edo government
and NGOs. Earlier, the President of CONGOs, Jude Obasami, said
although CONGOs condemn kidnapping and other crimes, Edo government
`should apply human face' with regards to signing death warrants. The
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls media reports on July 23 that Mr.
Oshiomhole signed the death warrants of four criminals and were
executed in Benin. The next day, his Chief Press Secretary, Peter
Okhiria, however, denied that Mr. Oshiomhole ever signed such
warrants.