fatal dose of drugs (typically a barbiturate, paralytic, and potassium
solution) for the express purpose of causing his immediate death.
The news that Nigerian Ejiogu Benjamin Ikechukwu is currently on the waiting list of Vietnamese execution squad is not new. What is real news is that with recent changes in the law, he would be one of those who fall prey to the nation's new law...
silencing drug dealers through
lethal injection.
The use of lethal injection to kill criminals only came to effect
last August when the first victim was killed through the process.
According to informed sources, more than 10 Nigerians may have been
secretly silenced by the Vietnamese government for hard drug offenses
and other related offenses in the past year.
Vietnam in 2011 suspended public Execution by firing squad as it has
always relied on carrying out capital punishment to deal with all
criminals flouting her drug law.
According to sources, the country had a gap of two years from 2011
during which they perfected all plans for the new law on lethal
injection and during the time, made efforts to procure chemicals for
lethal injections production.
Only last August, Vietnam executed its first prisoner by the method.
In 2011.an appeal by emn-news.com to the Federal government of
Nigeria to enter into negotiation with the government of Vietnam so
that erring Nigerians in the country could be spared of incessant
execution was never taken seriously.
The appeal followed the pending execution of oneMichael Ikenna
Nduanya,another Nigerian youngster who was committed to death for drug
trafficking in Vietnam. Michael's Vietnamese wife, who was an
accomplice in the drug deal, was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Michael fell prey to the first group of drug pushers who was killed by
lethal injection. But briefly after his sentence was handed, the new
law was put forward for deliberation and his fate was then suspended
because the law changed since July of that year. He was sentenced in
March of that year as deliberations were on-going on the use of lethal
injection.
It was the contention of the government that lethal injection would be
a more dignifying death for drug criminals than firing squad.
As news of Nduanya's death sentence broke out in 2011, Nigerians
across the world called on the Nigerian Federal government to make
concerted effort to negotiate his life with the communist government
of Vietnam.
He was then described as one of the victims of Nigerian government's
youth neglect with millions wasting away due to unemployment and lack
of motivation for self-employment due to non-provision of
infrastructures.
Responding to the call for a more caring attitude by the Nigerian
government towards the citizens outside the country, the Senate
leader, David Mark said then that Nigerians who engage in criminal
offenses outside the country deserve to die because of their act. His
view was seen by many as an act of contempt towards the nation's
constitution as it preserved the live of Nigerians both home and
abroad. Many even pointed out to the fact that power nations always
protect their own especially considering the image tainting such
situation might bring to the country.culled EM-News
The Lethal Injection method of execution is not quite new as most states in the United States use it and many civilised nations now execute people by it. My problem is that the Nigerian Government doesn't care about her citizens. If it were an American that was on death row, the American govt will ensure that the "condemned" will be transferred to the states for justice. Thousands of Nigerians are rotting away in many countries yet "our" govt doesn't seem to care. I'm very sure that if it were an European that committed the same crime, they might commute it to life. Another food for thought...
ReplyDelete