Amnesty International has appealed to the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, to rescind its decision to carry out the death sentence passed on two inmates at the state prison.
The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) has also written to President Goodluck Jonathan, asking him to prevail on the governor to stop the execution.
Amnesty International noted that it was difficult for many accused persons to get justice in Nigeria's justice system, adding that it would not be fair to execute those who might not have received fair trials and who had been on death row for many years.
Director General of Amnesty International, Mr. Salil Shetty, who stated this Monday when he visited the offices of the Human Rights Social Development and Environment Foundation (HURSDEF) in Port Harcourt, said the body was concerned that Oshiomhole had expressed his readiness to go ahead with the execution of the two death row inmates.
Shetty said the excuse given by Oshiomhole that he would go ahead with the executions to tackle the challenge of prison congestion was not the best way of addressing the problem.
Source: AllAfrica, October 30, 2012