Insurgency : Why Governors are reluctant to sign death sentence convicted culprits – General Sura
By Abiodun Grace
A Brigadier-General John Sura (rtd) has said the increasing rate of insecurity to the inability of many state governors to assent their signature to the death sentence of convicted criminals.
He said that anyone who takes the life of others deserved to be killed.
He insisted that if the country was serious about the senseless killings, state governors must not shy away from signing death sentence.
He added that “any one who takes the life of others cruelly and brutally deserve a death sentence to serve as deterrent to others”
He also advocated a special court to try kidnappers, bandits and terrorist just as he called on Federal Government to suspend service and retirement rules in the military, pointing out that the recently retired 50 Generals might affect military operations.
Speaking with Sunday Tribune in Jos, Plateau State, General Sura(rtd) said the presence of the military in virtually all the 36 states of the federation gives an impression that Nigeria is at war adding that the operation against insurgency, kidnapping, banditry and other vices threatening the survival of Nigeria need to be reviewed.
”There are lapses here and there in handling this situation, therefore we must strengthen our intelligence capacity. If there are any lapses those in charge must be held responsible and held accountable. If we refused to do this Nigeria will not go anywhere.
”I advise that both at the state and federal level special courts for issues like kidnapping, banditry and terrorism should be constituted to try these elements and to serve as deterrent to others. From all indications, refusal or inability of the government to try them is part of the reason their atrocities continue to fester.”
If we begin to look at the United Nations laws or Geneva conventions which did not favor Capital punishment, we might be missing it. I went to say that situation changes, we must face the situation changes, we must face the situation based on what we see on ground.
The serenity of their environment might have allowed them to see it that way but for us,it has got to a crude level that the lives of human beings do not matter anymore,” he said
The retired General commended the military for the efforts so far but added that there is the need for improvement based on the prevailing situation where virtually all the 36 states of the federation including Abuja are experiencing insecurity.
