The European Union (EU) has appealed to Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole to shelve his plan to execute two prison inmates in his state.
In a statement issued yesterday by the Local EU in Nigeria on imminent executions in Edo State, the union asked Oshiomhole to halt the execution of these two inmates pending the determination of appeals they filed against the trial court judgement.
“The EU Delegation to the Federal Republic of Nigeria is deeply concerned about the information it has received concerning the reported imminent execution of two persons in Edo State.
“The EU Delegation calls on the Nigerian authorities and, in this case, the Governor of Edo State, to allow all legal appeals to be heard and to halt the execution of these two inmates. The EU Delegation urges the Nigerian authorities to respect the existing de facto moratorium on executions, in place since 2006.”
It considers that such execution, if carried out, would represent a serious setback in Nigeria’s reputation and records in the field of human rights.
The European Union Delegation to Nigeria said that they were conveying the message in agreement with the EU Heads of Mission in Nigeria. The Embassy of Norway associates itself with this statement.
