Reluctance To Sign Death Sentence, Fueling Banditry — Retired General

BRIGADIER-General John Sura (rtd) has attributed the rising spate of insecurity to the inability of many state governors to append their signature to the death sentence of convicted criminals, saying 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 sentences adding that “anyone who takes the life of others cruelly and brutally deserve a death sentence to serve as a deterrent to others.”

General Sura also advocated a special court to try kidnappers, bandits and terrorists just as he called on the 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 operations 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 a 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 favour capital punishment, we might be missing it. I want to say that 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.