Niger Delta
Boko Haram: Uduaghan Sues For Calm, nderstanding
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State has called for calm and understanding among the various interest groups to avoid retaliation over activities of Boko Haram sect.
The governor cautions that retaliation can throw the country into religious war, adding that it should not be a cause of “an eye for eye”.
In a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Wednesday in Asaba, Mr. Sunny Ogefere, the governor urged those behind the Movement for the Emanicipation of Niger Delta (MEND) who threatened retalisation against Muslim interests to sheath their swords.
He advised the people to be cautious so that they would not jeopardise the efforts being made by the government to ensure peace and mutual understanding in the country, and explained that the governor’s frequent visit to Warri was to boost the security situation of the oil-rich city and monitor the projects being executed in its environs. The governor advised those engaging in criminal activities to embark on meaningful and acceptable ventures, adding that “criminality in any form is not justifiable”
In another development, the Delta House of Assembly on Wednesday in Asaba passed the Anti-kidnapping Bill 2013, imposing a death sentence on any person convicted of kidnapping in the state, into law. The lawmakers had earlier passed the bill on December 18, 2012 and sent it to Gov, Emmanuel Uduaghan for assent.
The bill, sponsored by 28 members of the House, provided for death penalty for kidnappers, cultists and terrorists.
It also stipulated that property used by those who engaged in hostage taking would be confiscated by the government.
However, in a letter to the members of the House read by the Speaker, Mr Victor Ochei, last Wednesday, Gov.Emmanuel Uduaghan withheld his assent to the bill.
Uduaghan recommended life sentence, instead of death penalty for kidnapping cases in the state.
Uduaghan said “after full consideration to the Bill as passed by the house and presented to me for assent, no doubt, there are fundamental and compelling issues, some of which are constitutional”.
“This has made it necessary for me to withhold my assent on the bill. It is my view that death sentence punishment is not likely to serve as a deterrent or antidote for crime of kidnapping.
“It is suggested that the sentence should be imprisonment for a longer term, that is life imprisonment.
“My reasons for suggesting long term of imprisonment are, it is a well known fact that death sentence is the penalty for the offences of armed robbery and murder.
“Notwithstanding death sentence imposed for those offences, they are still being committed on a daily basis in this country.
“As at today, there are more armed robbery cases pending compared to kidnapping cases in the various judicial divisions of high court.
“The second reason why I withhold my assent to the bill is that there is currently world-wide campaign calling for the abolition of death sentence from the law books.
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