The United Nations (UN) which is the umbrella body that holds all countries of the world together is been perceived to be interested in the predicament which the Nigerian military is facing at this moment.
This intervention of the UN is coming to the Nigerian Military on the platform to avert the possible death sentence passed on 54 Nigerian young soldiers, who were convicted by the Military court that sat in Abuja last month, for the offence of mutiny, as well as disobeying the supreme others from the GOC of the military troop dispatched to some North-East part of Nigeria where the Boko-Haram insurgence has been rife.
Sequel to the judgment conferred on these soldiers, some Human Rights Campaign groups have decried the rash and harsh manner at which the verdict was passed, and therefore call for the assistance and intervention of the UN to wade in to the situation, so as to persuade the Nigerian Military and the Federal government to revert that judgment.
At this moment, the UN's Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Arbitrary or Summary Executions, Mr. Christof Heyns, stated that “appropriate actions, including communication to the government of President Goodluck Jonathan is being considered regarding the imminent execution of 54 soldiers in Nigeria.”
Christof Heyns asserted this owing to the series of petitions received from various Human Rights groups, such as Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, who have condemned the death sentence as unfair and inhumane, that such capital punishment is not necessary in this case.
It was also informed that Mr Femi Falana, SAN, the legal counsel to the 54 soldiers is strongly espoused the petition submitted to UN by the SERAP, and without any delay, it is stepping up strategies to intervene in the matter to ensure that this death sentence is ward off.
Photo credit by Vanguard News
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