Nigeria Content Online

Human Rights
Writers Association (HRWAN), an NGO, on Wednesday criticised the
decision of the Federal Government to execute all convicted persons
serving death penalties as a way of decongesting prisons.

Emmanuel Onwubiko, the Chief Operating Officer of HRWAN, made the criticism while briefing journalists in Abuja.

Theodore Orjji, the
Abia State governor, had said on Tuesday after the 11th National
Conference of the National Council on Finance and Economic Development
that the Federal Government decided to carry out the execution to
decongest the prisons.

Mr. Onwubiko called
on Acting President Goodluck Jonathan and governors not to go ahead
with the policy, saying the execution would amount to an abuse of human
rights.

“Life cannot be restored after it has been terminated,’’ he said.

He recommended that the death penalty be replaced with life imprisonment with no option of fine.

“There is a need to rehabilitate these people, life imprisonment can be an option,’’ according to Mr. Onwubiko.

“The Association is demanding the implementation of section 33 (1)
of the 1999 constitution which reads that every person has a right to
life,’’ he said.