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Saving Death Row Felons The Moral, Legal Implications
Life is full of choices. Some opt for a decent living, slave-through early education through the Ivory Tower, secure a source of livelihood and create a viable foundation for future of selves and dependants, others prefer the fast lane-a life which depends on others’ earnings to survive. They are common criminals, among them are the murderers, the paid assassins and the kidnappers to whom human life is nothing but a means to their enrichment.
This trend is not peculiar to Nigeria nor the African continent. In fact, every society suffers the dastardly acts and brazen inhumanity of criminals. What differs however, are the various peoples’ solutions towards checking the menace. It is for the same reasons, that countries of the world designed prisons for the solitary confinement of less dangerous felons, while slamming death penalty on those who, among other felonies, willfully take others’ lives, not in self defence but pre-dedicatedly.
Here in Nigeria, crimes like armed robbery and murder attract either life imprisonment or capital sentence because of the moral code that anyone who would take another’s life deserves none of his. These are also contained in the nation’s criminal statutes and which for years permitted in the public execution of condemned felons. At some point in our national life, a fresh debate was introduced, which toady appears to be gaining more ground. It is that condemned criminals should be spared the death penalty, but be given another opportunity to start a new life.
The proponents of this school enjoy support from Mary Wollstonecrafts, her, Letters written in Sweden, Norway and Denmark which argued; “Executions, far from being useful examples to survivours, have, I am persuaded, a quite contrary effect, by hardening the heart they ought to terrify.
Armed with this and in the guise of protecting human rights, many Rights activists now hold the view that no single individual has the right to take another’s life, and that executing a murderer amounts to two wrongs, which hardly makes, one right. It is instead their view that such a criminal, guilty of a capital offence be confined in prison and be fed by the same society against which he waged a brutal war until such a day when, his own life naturally ends as against those of others he brutally and forcefully terminated prematurely.
In pursuit of this strange agenda, in African sense human rights ideologues recently succeeded in convincing the commissioner, Human and people’ Rights Working Group on Death penalty to help persuade Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan never to allow the execution of about 870 already condemned criminals who have been languishing in various prisons for between five and 25 years. Commission’s chairperson Alpini-Guason, just achieved that without resistance.
That action, came on the heels of a resolution by the Nigerian Senate to the effect that all prisoners on death row be made to face the consequences of the choices they made in life, theirs, being an acceptance of the moral law that he who kills by the sword must himself die by it.
All the affected cases are products of sentence of courts of competent jurisdiction, that took a thorough look at each case, having in mind, Publilius Syrus legal caution in Semiramis, “It is better to risk saving a guilty person than to condemn an innocent one” a reason why judgments of the kind are subjected to various appeals and up to date, no single one has been pointed to as a mistrial.
The argument has instead been that the life of the murderer is not just as precious as the life he took but even more precious and so should be saved at all cost because taking his life will merely harden hearts of other criminally minded survivors instead of serving as a deterrent to them that might also consider the murderer’s path as of choice.
This line of argument, “reminds me of the man who murdered both is parents, and then, when sentence was about to be pronounced, pleaded for mercy on the grounds that he was an orphan” as ascribed to Abraham Lincoln in Gross’s Lincoln’s own Stories. How for instance, can a trigger-happy Police Constable willfully kill a final year, student of the University of Port Harcourt at a police check-point and label his victim an armed robber, knowing fully well that the consequence of his action would be death? And when such is pronounced according to law, Rights Advocates insist that the Killer Constable should be spared his own life after that of another.
If human life should be that valueless what guarantees are there that murder, kidnapping and other heinous crimes will ever abate? If the punishment for murder is merely a prison term with a likelihood of regaining freedom at the slightest jail delivery exercise or at every regime change, who says society would ever know peace?
This writer does not share the view that criminals who willfully take others’ lives be spared theirs because of the fact that, “exact justice is commonly more merciful in the long run than pity, for it tends to foster in men those stronger qualities which make them good citizens”, ask James Russel Lowell (Among My Books: Dante).
Besides, Marcus Tillius Cicero in the Pro Milone warned; ‘the greatest incitement to crime is the hope of escaping punishment, which in my view, partly accounts for the now brazen manner in which murders and kidnappings are being carried out. The same may also be responsible for the many unresolved murders.
Those who insist that executions would not serve as a deterrent to others have not said what would. Debatably however, execution of armed robbers in the 70’s and 80’s actually helped to check increase in armed robbery cases especiall when it was decided that such would be carried out in the criminals ome-steads.
Conversely, it is the pampering of condemned criminals on death-row and who are still feeding fat at tax-payers expense that appears to be the real incentive to increased criminality. Or was it not the Holy Bible that insists, suffer not a witch to live? If, even a witch can suffer capital punishment why not a murderer?
What is even more laughable is the fact that the so-called rights’ groups are not bothered by the fact that the death penalty is a wholesome part of Nigeria’s criminal system and not one about to be introduced, specifically for the sake of the 870 on death row-prisoners some of whom also took lives of others.
My Agony is that a dangerous precedence is gradually playing out, one that would further embolden common criminals into full fledged killers, certain that their lives will be spared upon conviction, and who knows, even gain their freedom should a powerful kith or kin pull the right strings.
But in all these, have we, as a people stopped to think of the multiplier effects of setting free, a murderer? What of the urge for vengeance that could drive victim’s loved ones and family to resort to jungle justice? At that time, would such action attract the death penalty? If not, what will society be like?
But why should condemned criminals live on death-row for 25 years, on tax-payers’ funds? Why is it difficult for state governors to summon the necessary legal, moral and political will to discharge their duties without affection or ill-will as they swore to do? What then is their failure to sign execution orders years after courts of competent jurisdiction have done their duties, amount to.
If the governors had done their part would we have as many as 870 condemned felons testing the political will of the Nigerian leadership and her laws?
If the various state governors had done their part, it would not have required a Senate resolution to do the right thing at the right time, the failure of which has now been capitalized upon by the rights activists to truncate positive attempts to hold murderers, armed robbers, and hired killers accountable and make the accountable and make them to face the consequences of their choices.
That is why I agree with the National Economic Council which last week directed all state governors to sign urgently, the various execution orders for triumph of law over sentiments.
Fortunately, the condemned death-row felons, over whom all the debates are today raging, had a choice either to be good citizens and live or kill others and die in the process. Letting them live will be to have them eat their cake and still have it. These will grant them two of two choices instead of the one allowed.
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DEPLOY YOUR CAPACITY, TECHNICAL KNOWHOW TO REVITALISE SONGHAI FARMS, FUBARA TELLS TASK FORCE
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that diversifying the economy of the State has become inevitable because of the need to solve the problem of food shortages while also providing jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.
These, he said, are the reasons why great care has been taken to critically look at the prospects of revitalising the Songhai Integrated Farms, which is located in Bunu Tai, in Tai Local Government Area of the State.
Governor Fubara insisted that if the problem associated with food shortages is tackled with good intent and purpose, about 40 to 50 percent of current problems of economic hardship plaguing the country and its people would have been solved.
Governor Fubara made the assertion while inaugurating the Chairman, Mr Biedima Oliver, and members of the task force saddled with the responsibility of supervising the revitalization of Songhai Integrated Farms by its partners: Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Other members of the task force included, the Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Engr Victor Kii; Commissioner for Finance, Barrister Emmanuel Frank-Fubara; Dr Ayebaesin Beredugo; and Mr Maurice Ogolo.
The Governor explained that it took him time to approve the constitution of the task force being inaugurated because of the ugly experience with the previous group that shown such interest.
Governor Fubara stated that a process was initiated and driven halfway into the handing over of Songhai Farms on concession to an interested partner who latter showed a total lack of the needed capacity to undertake such task.
He said, “As a matter of fact, if few of you could remember, we even conceded the place to an investor who came in after he had made his presentation, and we, believing that he has the capacity, we said okay to him, and we had already signed up.
“But something happened. He came back to tell us that he wanted us to give him a N5billion bank guarantee. We then asked him, why? If we have the N5billion, why do we need you to come and even revitalize Songhai Farms? We would have put that N5billion there ourselves. For that reason, we cancelled that arrangement.”
Governor Fubara said now that two separate companies have come together to indicate interest and given the assurance of having the needed capacity to drive the process, he is delighted to see them meeting that expectation.
Governor Fubara pointed to the expectation of the people who want to see the Songhai Farms back on stream on a sustainable basis.
That expectation, he insisted, is also what his administration wants to see actualised within its lifespan.
He noted, “We want to see food sufficiency, because we know when Songhai Farms comes on board, there will be food, which is one of the problems we are having in this country. If we are able to tackle the issue of food, 40 to 50 percent of our problem will be solved.”
Governor Fubara also stated that although he believes in the presentation made by the group and has taken their assurance to heart, but warned that he would not tolerate a repeat of what happened before.
The Governor said, “I hope your story will not be (end) halfway too. I hope you have the capacity and all the technical knowhow to handle it. It is not when we start now, after we had finished inaugurating the task force, you will come back to tell us that you need $2million. If we have $2million, we won’t need you. We will invest it by ourselves.”
Governor Fubara, however, praised the capacity of the Chairman of the task force, Biedima Oliver, saying that incidentally, he was one of the personnel that convinced the then administration to develop the Songhai Farms, and had worked with the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) to manage the project.
He said, “He knows and understands the workings of Songhai, and now that we are making you the chairman of the task force, we want to believe that you will make that place come back to life.
“I don’t have any doubt in your capacity. A few things you’ve touched, you turned them to gold. Please, bring it back to what we used to see in Songhai. Bring it back with the help of your committee.”
Governor Fubara assured that his administration will remain committed to providing all the necessary support that they may require to make their assignment a success.
He added, “So, I hereby inaugurate you. Your task is very simple: Do everything within your powers and with our support to make sure that Songhai becomes operational to the benefit, not just the people of Tai, but to the entire Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole”.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the Task Force to Supervise the Revitalization of Songhai Farms with Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, Mr. Biedima Oliver, expressed appreciation to Governor Fubara for the opportunity and confidence reposed in them to revive Songhai Farms.
Mr. Oliver assured that they will deliver the expected goal on Songhai Farms, and doing so on time and on target so that the good people of Rivers State can eventually be happy and also benefit from the huge investment.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that all the policies and programmes of his administration are tailored towards the protection of interest of Rivers people, especially the youths.
This, he said, is borne out of the importance his administration attaches to youths’ development and empowerment as leaders of tomorrow.
Fubara, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, disclosed this when he received the youths of Emohua Local Government Area under the auspices of “Emohua Youths For SIM” on solidarity visit to Government House, Port Harcourt, last Friday.
He said that his administration has put in place modalities that will boost the livelihoods and well-being of Rivers citizens, which youths of Emohua will also benefit when they materialise.
The governor, who spoke through the Rivers State Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, pointed out that the recently awarded Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku Road, the ongoing Emohua-Kalabari Road, reinstatement of illegally sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Area and the approval for electrification of the area, are part of deliberate measures to open up the area to make life conducive and more meaningful for the people.
According to him, “Everything about the governor is putting the interest of Rivers State first. He is looking at and taking action on those things that we need to do to restart the wheels of progress in Rivers State.
“There are many things the governor has planned and is already doing that will boost the life and welfare of every citizen of Rivers State, but most importantly the youths.
“Growing up, I learnt that Egbeda is one of the biggest communities in the whole of Ikwerre, and it’s predominantly an agrarian community. They have food in Egbeda, they have food in Ubimini, they have food in Omudiaga and other natural resources. The whole world is tilting to agriculture, and this is the way to go.
“The Elele-Umudioga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Omoku road, when completed, will open up the area for real development. Your food and everything you produce there will now have value, they will no longer be thrown away. In all these, you the youths are going to be the utmost beneficiaries.”
He added, “Same will be applicable to the Emohua-Kalabari Road which will also, trigger development in the area, and you will be the greatest beneficiaries. When the LGA is also electrified, you will be having 24 or 20 hours of electricity, and those things the youths can do with electricity, you can stay at home and create wealth for yourself and children.
“All the totality of what the governor is doing, when they are completed, or even as some are completed now, the youths are going to be utmost beneficiaries.”
While acknowledging that youths are the true leaders of tomorrow and any government that fails to carry them along in the scheme of things is doomed to fail, the governor assured them of his administration’s commitment to always address issues concerning youths and ensure that they are part of his government.
He commended the youths for toeing the path of truth by identifying with his administration, urging them to sustain the tempo and shun evil, as his government will ensure that the trend whereby politicians turn youths to beggars are over.
He said, “Youths are, indeed, the leaders of tomorrow. The time of youth is a very important time. It a time that your parents or whoever is your leader at that time have to make the greatest investment in you. And any Government that decides to only carry the elderly, chiefs aling and abandon the youths is bound to fail,” he asserted.
“But I am happy that Governor Fubara has concentrated his energy on everything that will benefit the society, especially the youths.
“And based on these, I want to thank you for recognising what is good and calling it good, for shunning what is evil, for saying the Governor is standing for you.
“Let me tell you, you are on the right direction. Let me tell you again, Rivers State is the bride of Nigeria. The whole Nigeria is looking at what will happen here. As they look here and see you standing on the path of truth, this is a very important step that you have taken to right all the wrongs of the past, to make Rivers State stand on the tripod of justice, peace and security. That is what we are going to gain through the governor, taking all the wise actions that he has already initiated.
“The projects the governor is embarking on are meant to prepare nets for the youths to fish and put food on their table, hence you should continue to follow him.
“The SIMplified Movement brought upon by the governor will ensure that Rivers youths stop the habit of going to bow down before politicians, pledging loyalty before they can eat.”
Earlier, spokesman for the Emohua Youths for SIM, Comrade Ovamale O. Ovamale, had said that the visit by youths from the 14 political wards in Emohua Local Government Area was to thank the governor for the award of the Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku road, the approval for electrification of the area and reinstatement of sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Council, of which the youths were mostly affected.
According to him, “Siminalayi Fubara of recent has given Emohua Local Government road that links Elele to Omoku, which comprises over four communities in the local government.”
“Emohua Local Government has also been in darkness for eight years. No community in the local government that has light. But, of recent, because of the passion and love the governor has for the people of Emohua, he has approved the electrification of the local government.
“Also, the illegal sack of Emohua Local Government workers, for which the youths were mostly affected and without the approval of the Local Government Service Commission, the governor, in his compassionate nature, has reinstated them, and that is why we said we must come and thank His Excellency”, he said.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that his administration will collaborate and continue to consult widely in delivering a liberated State experiencing enduring peace.
Fubara said, in doing so, he would not operate as a dictator but as a member of a team that has the best interest of the State at heart and determined to leave a lasting legacy that can be celebrated.
The governor spoke during the formal presentation of Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office to the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, King Ateke Michael Tom, as first class tradition ruler, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Fubara stated that, during the Sixth State Executive Council meeting, N80.8billion was approved with 50 percent contract value paid already as the Government awarded the construction of the Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road.
He said the project will be funded from the savings from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to underscore his administration’s prudence without also borrowing to complete the project.
“We are at a crossroad in our State where we all need to stand for what is right. It happens once in a life time. So, for now, be one of those people that will be in the course to liberate and free our dear State.
“And I know strongly that having the support of a peace-loving Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, having the support of the wonderful Council of Chiefs, having the support of the great people of Rivers State, we will bring peace in our State. We will do those things that are right to develop our State.
“We will continue to consult. We will not act as dictators. We will act as people who know that one day, we will leave, and when we leave, the way we have acted will speak for us. We will not force people to talk good about us. Our legacy will be a signature for how we led”, the governor said.
Fubara explained that he acted within the ambit of the law to upgrade the traditional stool upon which King Ateke Tom sits in recognition of his efforts in promoting peace in Okrika, and indeed, the State, and urged him to continue to do justice to everyone.
In his speech, Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Hon Charles Amadi, congratulated King Ateke Tom for being formally presented with the Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office as first class traditional ruler.
Also speaking, former Transport Minister, Chief Abiye Sekibo, thanked the governor for fulfilling his promise of upgrading the traditional stool of Okochiri Kingdom, and pledged the support of Kirike Se people to his administration.