President of Nigeria Jonathan Goodluck

NIGERIA: AFRICAN COMMISSION ASKS PRESIDENT JONATHAN TO RESCIND DIRECTIVE ON EXECUTION OF PRISONERS

July 3, 2013: The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, has requested President Goodluck Jonathan to rescind his directive to the 36 States of the Federation of Nigeria asking them to begin execution of prisoners on death row across the country, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) reported.
SERAP said the Commission confirmed the order to it through Commissioner Zainabo Sylvie Kayitesi, Chairperson of the Working Group on Death Penalty, and Mary Maboreke, Secretary of the African Commission.
The Commission is the body charged with overseeing States parties’ compliance with their legal obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to which Nigeria is a State party.
The Commission’s Provisional Order followed a petition filed by SERAP through its Solicitor Femi Falana, who said that “It is absolutely important that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Muhammed Adoke moves swiftly to ensure full and effective compliance with the Provisional Order that has been issued by the Commission.” (Sources: Premium Times, 04/07/2013)