My aim of seeking elective position is to serve the masses, humanity, says Hon Jude Uchenna Obiekwe

Success Damian: 

Hon Jude Uchenna Obiekwe, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Mushin-Lagos Federal Constituency in the 2019 General Election has made it unambiguously clear that his aim of contesting elective position is to serve the masses and humanity. 

Obiekwe made the disclosure at Lilygate Hotel, Lekki, Lagos State on Wednesday. 

He said, “It is for the people, when you are going for such elective position, it is all about the masses, service to humanity, service to the masses, service to the people. It is all about the people, I am very comfortable, but you know, people that are there are not doing the right thing as they supposed to do, it is about making sure that the people, the masses get the dividend of democracy.” 

Obiekwe who contested for the position of the House of Representative but narrowly missed it said ”It was my first attempt, though I lost in that election, it was a wonderful experience and no retreat, no surrender, we are most definitely going back there again, and we hope this time around we will win.” 

On his plans for the 2023 election, he maintained that a politician will not disclose all his plans, but assured his constituents that he will definitely make it, “We are working towards making it this time around. 2019 was my first time, and it was as if I have been contesting because the whole Nigeria knew that somebody contested in the election.”

Obiekwe who is a businessman joined politics for the love of his people, to liberate the people, “Like I keep saying, those that are there are not doing what they are supposed to do.” 

He acknowledged Chief Bode George as his mentor “Chief Chief Bode George, I started with him and am still with him, he is our Royal Father in PDP.” 

Speaking on what transpired in 2019 when he lost the election and what gave him hope that he will win in 2023, he said “Politics evolves, as it is, everybody has tested All Progressives Congress (APC) and has seen the difference between APC and PDP, the sufferings of the masses alone will tell. It is telling on the people, that the present government has not in any way helped the masses. So the trend is that the people will massively want to vote APC out in the next coming election, and that is why we in the PDP have hope of clinching the seats.” 

Responding to claims that PDP remains unconcerned when it is obvious they were rigged out in many areas in Lagos he said “No, no, Like in my own case, I understand what you are saying, we do go to court, but it still depends, the government of the day, in my own case, I won, I took them to tribunal, up to Appeal. I am the only candidate that has done that in Mushin. We were very few in Lagos, PDP candidates that did that. But at the end of the day you still see that, especially in Lagos, they are biased when it comes to election. It was a clear victory, you know, it is like an environment where we have 70% Igbos.

“It is exactly what happened to Rita, in Ajeromi/Ifelodun, Rita is also my mentor as well; you see that there was clear winning but they will upturn it, my brother, this is Nigeria. The best place to go to is the tribunal but at the end of the day you will not get justice.” 

On his confidence for wanting to contest again despite alleged obvious abnormalities in the election process in Lagos, he said “I am hopeful because people have basically tested APC, they said change, now the people have seen the change they can offer, now, I think they know better, and I believe 2023 will be better when these new etransmission of result they are talking about which they just passed so it won’t be business as usual for them. In actual sense if the electronic transmission of result is implemented as they have just signed the bill just passed, then we have high hope of winning.” 

Speaking on the suggestion that he should go and contest in the eastern Nigeria, his origin, where he has better chances, he said, “I believe everywhere you dwell is your home, like I was born and bred in Lagos here, so I don’t really see any, anywhere I am, to me, is home. And I believe it is one Nigeria we are, except if we start dividing and say Biafra, Oduduwa or whatever.” 

 He spoke on going back home to invest and boost the economy of eastern Nigeria “I believe in investing at home, that is what is called akuruo ulo, investing at home; it is a very very good thing. I am highly impressed and I am highly in support of investing at home.”

Philanthropist, Odii speaks on his Foundation, calls for restraint in Biafra land

Success Damian: 

A Philanthropist and Co-Founder of Ebele & Anyi Chuks Foundation, Dr Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii (Anyi Chuks) has said that his foundation is doing a lot in the empowerment and support for the elderly and the less privileged in the society. 

Odii who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Orient Group and President, Ultimus Holdings, also called on the youths in the eastern part of the country to sheath their swords in order not to destroy their own people and economy. 

Odii who spoke to Journalists at Lilygate Hotel in Lekki, Lagos on Wednesday, disclosed that the Ebele & Anyi Chuks Foundation was established by him and his wife to take care of the have not in the society. He said “Ebele and Anyi Chuks Foundation was founded by myself and my dear wife 16 years ago. We are humanitarians, we didn’t want to open church to begin to look for tithing; we decided to do it with what God gave to us without bothering any person or being a burden to society. And it has been growing, blossoming and God has been helping us to drive the foundation to use it to touch lives in different ways, to provide shelter to people, help to take care of the needy and the older people, to give empowerment in the areas of education, financial empowerment, and skill acquisition empowerment.”

Responding to question on how many lives the foundation has touched, the philanthropist who is known to have built over 120 houses for people free of charge said, “We have lost counting.” 

Odii also spoke on the restiveness by south eastern youths, saying “There is never any conflict that is resolved by the hand of gun, it is never done, our fathers fought Biafra War, we lost over 3 million persons, young children, young women, older women, and while we are trying to recover again, we began to drift into the same methodology we used to embark on the same war we fought before. In as much as they are agitating, it is good to agitate, but then you should know that when you agitate, you draw a strategy that will make you not to be so violent. But what we are witnessing today in the southeast is not encouraging.” 

He said it is not known that an Igbo man can take up arms against his own brother, he then called for caution “It is not known for an Igbo man to take up arms against his brother, even if we are fighting an enemy, why must we be enemy within, we shouldn’t allow it because doing that is like trying to destroy our own plan by ourselves and we will become a laughing stock to others.” 

Odii also advised the youth on the sit-at-home order by the indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) saying it is an attraction to economic war. “I think that what has happened to us is that many of us are not well informed, you should know that there are two types of war, one is the war you fight with missiles, bullets which is the conventional war, but the worst war now is the one they call the economic war. It is the same kind of war that was practised during the Biafra war, whereby kwashiorkor killed over 1.2 million children. “So if you say that you don’t want your economy to grow, that means you want to go hungry, hunger will come and attack you, that is the worst war and that is where we are going now, no one is fighting us, we are now creating hunger war against our people, which is not good for us,” Odii maintained.

EKOUNIMED announces accreditation of institution by two regulating agencies, medical education in Nigeria ...As Founder, Dr. Ibraheem Hameed marks birthday

Success Damian:

Eko University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ijanikin, Lagos has announced the accreditation of the University by the two statutory regulating agencies of university and medical education in Nigeria. 

The Vice-Chancellor of the Citadel of Excellence and Compassion, Prof O. A. Sofola made the disclosure at a zoomed press conference on Monday, 25th October, 2021. 

The regulating agencies of university and medical education in Nigeria are National Universities Commission (NUC) giving full accreditation and Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) giving accreditation for First Professional Examination. 

 He also used the opportunity to announce the Birth date of the founder of the University, Chief (Dr.) Hammed Ayodele Ibraheem, (MD) on October 25, 2021. 

Speaking on the accreditation, Sofola said “We received full-fledged operational licence on April 15, 2021 and full accreditation from NUC, June 2021 and the MDCN approval to conduct the First professional examination, on October 20, 2021.” 

According to Sofola, EKOUNIMED is the premier specialised, privately owned, medical, non-sectarian, and co-educational institution which got approval of the Federal Executive Council on 6th December 2017. “The three-year provisional licence was formally presented to the founder by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abubakar A. Rasheed on Tuesday 19th December 2017. The University successfully matriculated its first three sets of students on December 13, 2018, March 6th, 2020, and March 11, 2021” 

 Speaking on collaborations with other institutions to offer optimal service to students he added “We have memoranda of understanding (MOU) with State General Hospital systems of Lagos Sate Government as our Teaching hospitals We also have MOU with Nigeria Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos as well as a 3–year mentoring arrangement with the University of Lagos. In addition, there is a subsisting working agreement with Ibile Diagnostics and Medicals with Centres in New York, the city of Phoenix, Arizona, Geneva, Switzerland and in Lima, the Capital city of Peru,” he added. 

With the Vision of the University to be a world-class institution for the medical and other health professions in terms of learning, research, character building and service to humanity, the institution also has the Mission of providing an all-embracing health education and services through the production of world class, resourceful and competent physicians, dentists, nursing, pharmacists and other healthcare providers, who will be equipped to deliver the cutting edge promotive, preventive and specialized medical and other health-related education and practices. 

Speaking on the institution’s bouquet of approved programmes, he said “We are in the Areas of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences. Presently we are running the full programme in Medicine and Surgery. We intend to add other programmes soon, in Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences.” 

Justifying the establishment of the institution he added “With 34 medical schools in the country there is inadequate opportunity for access by many qualified students, in addition to our country not being able to meet the WHO doctor: patient ratio. The country needs more than 303, 000 doctors to meet the WHO standard, and at least 10,605 new doctors annually to join the workforce (NOIPolls). 

“It is partly to bridge this gap and frustration of Nigerian youths, who though qualified, could not get admission, that the Founder of EKOUNIMED, Dr. Ibraheem Hameed established this University. Indeed, more of such bold interventions are required in the field of higher education. Other motivations are the need for quality modern medical delivery,” he stated. 

Also speaking on the background of the Founder who was celebrating his birthday he said, “Today’s birthday celebrant, the founder Chief (Dr.) Hammed Ayodele Ibraheem, (MD) is from the Ibraheem royal lineage of the Bashua Chieftaincy family of Lagos. He had his medical education and practice in the United States of America for over fifty years, presently with head office in New York.

“He established the Ibile Diagnostic Centre in 1974 in the city of Phoenix, Arizona and has extended his medical expertise to other nations of the earth, such as in the city of Geneva, Switzerland and the Red Cross operations in Lima, the Capital city of Peru and served as a Colonel in the US Marine Medical Corp. 

“He is a holder of Chieftaincy of Asojuoba of Ijanikin, Lagos. Having served globally he considered it the highest legacy to bequeath to his people and humankind the best of medical and health science education and practice.” 

Sofola then added that the achievement so far was enabled as a result of joint dogged efforts of the following groups and people: The NUC, MDCN and their very diligent and meticulous accrediting teams; the Governing Council and its members, ably led by Prof. Kamil Olaonipekun Alausa; the Principal Officers who tirelessly worked round the clock to meet the stringent conditions of our regulating bodies NUC and MDCN, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adedayo Ejiwunmi, Registrar Lateef O .Animashaun, Bursar Mrs OlapejuAwoliyi and University Librarian Dr Jasiliu Kadiri. 

Others include the Deans, Prof S. O Giwa, Dr C.A Diya and Dr M Ajala; the Director of Planning and Development Mrs R.O. Ibraheem, Director for Works and Services, Engr H.A Kuku, the Advisory Consultant Prof Odewumi S.G and the entire staff.

JA Africa signs partnership with The Richer TM Media to produce Junior Billionaires Club TV series

Success Damian: 

Junior Achievement (JA) Africa and The Richer TM Media Limited (The Richer TM Media) have signed a partnership to produce The Junior Billionaires Club TM (JBC), an animated TV series designed to teach children across Africa about financial literacy and wealth principles. 

The animated series is developed jointly based on The Richer TM Kids Club, an affiliate of The Richer TM Media, and JA’s financial literacy, entrepreneurship and wealth education curricula which give young people the knowledge and skills to make informed financial, business, career and life decisions. 

It will feature Lola & Kweku-Sika, two young Africans who go on different adventures to learn key financial and wealth concepts as well as African history and other social studies/economics topics on Africa. 

The series will air in English, French and eventually Portuguese across different African countries on traditional and digital media. 

At a press conference for the signing of the partnership[at the JA Nigeria Office at Lekki Lagos, Simi Nwogugu, CEO of JA Africa said, “Expanding financial literacy across the continent is a key area of focus for us at JA Africa. This animated series gives us the opportunity to reach and educate millions of African children and young adults, especially those in hard to reach communities who may not have access to our classroom programs or digital activities. We will also spotlight inspiring African leaders, not only to celebrate them, but also to show young Africans that the continent has role models they can aspire to be like. It is our hope that it will encourage schools across Africa to set up Junior Billionaires Clubs to inspire their students.” 

Omi Oshikoya, Chief Media Officer of The Richer TM Media, speaking about the partnership said “This partnership gives us the opportunity to inspire a new generation of Africans that are creating wealth and are successful in all areas of their lives which is our mission.” 

According to Omi “Africa has a high poverty rate, and this can be traced to the lack of financial literacy; to reduce the financial literacy gap, it is important to note that in every African country two-fifths of the population is younger than 15 years old, therefore, to foster economic development, the focus should be on children who are the future leaders.” 

She also said “The curriculum has been created to include financial literacy, business as well as life and wealth principles to ensure the children are well equipped to thrive in the world we live in today. The COVID-19 global pandemic has made it imperative for children to be financially educated and to learn how to invest in their physical, emotional and mental health and other areas of their lives.” 

The Junior Billionaires Club curriculum has been created to include financial literacy, business as well life coaching and wealth principles to ensure that children are well equipped to be successful in every area of their lives. 

The animated series will educate children in a fun and interactive way to prepare them for life as adults as well as to learn good values and life skills such as leadership and public service. Junior Billionaires Club will contribute towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 1: No Poverty, and Goal 4: Quality Education. 

Junior Achievement (JA) Africa prepares youth for the future of jobs by bridging the gap between school and the world of work. Through the delivery of financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship training and in collaboration with schools, technical/vocational centers and other partners, JA Africa works in 13 countries reaching 250,000 youth each year. 

While The Richer TM Media Limited is a media production company focused on using media and technology to produce content that inspires, informs, empowers and educates a new generation of Africans that are creating wealth and successful in all areas of their lives, thereby contributing towards achieving at least 5 of the United Nations General Assembly Sustainable Development Goals, most importantly Goal 1: No Poverty.

NCC, NITDA throw weight behind NITRA ICT Growth Conference/Awards 2021

Success Damian:

As the industry media body, the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA), prepares for its stakeholders engagement event, NITRA ICT Growth Conference 2021, two industry regulators have indicated interest in supporting the event scheduled to hold on November 11, 2021 in Lagos, Nigeria. 

The event has received the backing of the telecoms regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the nation’s information technology regulator, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). 

The event targets to bring stakeholders in the ICT industry, both from the public and private sectors, to discuss and find ways of accelerating growth in the industry as a means of achieving laudable federal government set targets and policies, including those recorded in policy documents by the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the NCC and NITDA. 

These documents include NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2021-2024); The Nigerian Cybercrime Act of 2015; the National Policy for the Promotion of Indigenous Content (NPPIC); The National Telecommunications Policy; the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025; National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) among others. 

While looking at policies and regulation around the sub-sectors, the event will further look into challenges such as multiple taxation and regulations, high cost of Right of Way (RoW), theft of telecoms facilities, Policy issues, Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) Bill and cybersecurity issues; and ways of tackling these challenges effectively. 

Under its “NITRA ICT Growth Conference”, which seeks to bring a multi-sectoral development agenda, NITRA is organising a multi-panel interactive conference that will look at the theme: “Harmonising ICT Sub-Sectors Towards A Digitised Nigeria.” 

NITRA Chairman, Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, while commending the regulators for their support of the event and passion for the growth of technology in Nigeria, noted that the growth in the ICT industry will impact all other sectors of the economy positively. “Specifically, the Forum will offer stakeholders the opportunities of reassessing and reinvigorating some policies to make maximum impact in the growth of ICT in Nigeria. This is a growth conference, and stakeholders will be allowed to speak out on what the growth indices should be.” he said. 

Expected to be at the event include the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami; the EVC of the NCC, Prof Umar Garba Danbatta; the DG of NITDA, Mallam Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi, CEOs of other government and private ICT companies, the Media including the full membership of NITRA and other stakeholders in the industry, including COOs, CIOs, CFOs, CROs and CCOs. 

As part of the event, special recognition awards will be given to some industry players that have played strong roles in the growth of ICT in Nigeria, and still contributing to the development of the industry. 

The Awards will also be for those companies and individuals, who through their innovativeness have revolutionised the ecosystem they play in.

Professor Olugbenga calls for procurement of facilities to monitor immunological parameters in women

Success Damian: 

Professor Oladimeji Samuel Olugbenga, a Professor of Biochemistry (Endocrinology Immunology), in the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Lagos State University has called on relevant bodies to procure the facility that will enable gynecological hospitals to monitor the immunological parameters of those who seek assistance. 

Professor Olugbenga made the call while delivering the 81st Inaugural Lecture of the Lagos State University at the Buba Marwa Auditorium of the Campus in Ojo on Monday, October 25, 2021. 

He said “The way our human body is made, it has its own self mechanism, self correcting and so if we can have facility to monitor the immunological parameters it will aid a great deal what the medical people are doing in the various gynecological hospitals so that they will be able to assist the women the more because they can know that it is an immune problem that is affecting the hormone imbalance because you cannot just be treating the symptoms without looking at the root causes,” he said. 

The Inaugural Lecture was titled: ‘A Delicate Romance of Macromolecules of Immune Moiety, Biochemical Factors and Hormonal Indices That Guarantee Posterity’ 

Speaking on what necessitated his research into the topic of the lecture, he said “The academic world that we were introduced to is both administrative, academic and community service, so as part of our community service; we have seen the tremendous pressure women are put under. Some people don’t go into marriage until they see the pregnancy, they go from one man to another and from one woman to another woman, not actually interrogating what is the source of their problem and promiscuity has been the order of the day.

“So to have a scientific outline model by which you can check your status and know if you are reproductively sound, then you don’t have to subject yourself to bed to bed in search of pregnancy. So we saw that as a need and when we visited the hospitals we saw it as a challenge, because in the various gynecological hospitals women are there, sometimes the men are sleeping at home not really knowing that they have a contributing factor to what is the problem in the homes. But the attention is usually on the women because they are the ones who present themselves eventually for check-ups.” 

His solution to the problem of infertility “So we see that continuing with affordable search becomes something that can be more encouraging to the average Nigerian women, because many people don’t even think that some medicals are affordable to them, so they don’t even go near the hospital, so establishing this medicinal remedies and which can be properly interrogated and recommended, it becomes a reachable area for women to treat themselves of any form of discrepancy that is happening with their hormonal imbalance or happening with their immunology. You know the immunology is given by God to defend us from unwanted substances influences, but they turn against us when those substances that are negative to the body are not treated, that is why we call it auto-antibody, auto-immunity, so they turn against us because they keep defending themselves even in negative manner. I think this has been the story so far."

On his advice to medical practitioners in tackling the problem of infertility, he said “My advice is that medical practitioners should include checking on auto-antibody level along side, not just the hormonal profile, because what they do is do the hormonal profile, do the physical examination and at the end of the day a great number of them are tagged unexplained infertility and doctors are not God, they will just leave it at that, and said it is unexplained.

“But the way our human body is made, it has its own self mechanism, self correcting and so if we can have facility to monitor the immunological parameters it will aid a great deal what the medical people are doing in the various gynecological hospitals, so that they will be able to assist the women the more because they can know that, okay, it is an immune problem that is affecting the hormone imbalance because you cannot just be treating the symptoms without looking at the root causes.”

LASU matriculates 6,648 students, adopts 50% fee refund to students with 4.5 CGPA

Success Damian: 

Lagos Lagos State University (LASU) has matriculated 6,648 students even as the institution has also adopted a policy that guarantees 50% refund of school fees to students who consistently maintain a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.5 every session. 

The Vice Chancellor of LASU Prof. Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji- Bello made the disclosures at the 2020/2021 Matriculation ceremony of the institution which took place at the Buba Marwa Auditorium in Ojo, Lagos on Monday, October 25, 2021. 

Olatunji- Bello who was superintending over a matriculation ceremony of the institution for the first time as the 9th Substantive Vice Chancellor of LASU while congratulating the fresh students, said that the Lagos State University over the years has remained on the part of academic excellence and distinguished herself among comity of universities in Nigeria. 

Speaking on what the university will do to ensure welfare of the students she said, “The Lagos State University has what it takes to make you (the students) to succeed in your respective courses of study. Your welfare is top on our priority as we will ensure that learning environment remains conducive for learning. Your security in and around the university is paramount. This is why we have put in place adequate security measures. We have a well equipped university library for your use. 

"We will ensure steady power supply to enable those who wish to study at night to do so comfortably. In order to promote healthy competition, we have put in place a policy that guarantees fifty (50%) refund of school fees to university scholars. This is the category of students who consistently maintain a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.5 every session,” she added. 

Also speaking on the vision of the university to take the institution to another level she disclosed that she has concluded plans to make LASU the best university in West Africa and to establish micro factories where interested students can work and earn stipends “Our vision is to make the Lagos State University the best in West Africa, right now it is one of the universities in Ghana that is the best, but we are planning, by the grace of God by the year 2025 when I will be rounding off, Lagos State University will be the first in West Africa. “And we also have this policy of studentship employment for our students, to help with their welfare, because I have a plan to have some micro factories where the students can work and they will get stipend monthly,” Bello said. 

She assured the new and old students of the readiness of the academic and non-academic staff to mentor and assist them. “Our resourceful and diligent academic and non-teaching staff are always available and willing to mentor and assist you in becoming the best in your chosen careers. We have a Guidance and Counselling Unit where you can obtain professional advice on making the best out of life. We also have the Career Development Centre (LCDC) where you can be professionally advised on your career path and Directorate of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship where you can acquire new skills and enhance those you already possess,” she stated.

19th World Day Against Death Penalty: LEDAP, HURILAWS call for review of use of death penalty against Nigerian women

Cyriacus Nnaji

As the world marks the 19th Anniversary Against Death Penalty; the Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP) and Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS) have called for a review of the use of capital punishment in Nigeria, particularly against women.

In a press statement jointly signed by Pamela Okoroigwe for Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP) and Collins Okeke for Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS) the review has become necessary pending a wholesome reform of the nation’s criminal justice system to foster arrival at guilty verdicts devoid of reasonable doubts.

October 10 is the day set aside globally to advocate for the abolition of the death penalty. The theme for this year’s anniversary is “Women and the Death Penalty; an Invisible Reality”. This year’s event focuses on women who have been executed, sentenced to death, or have had their death sentences commuted, exonerated, or pardoned, while still drawing attention to the peculiarities and factors that predispose women to alleged crimes and weigh on their sentencing.

Gender based discrimination often coupled with other factors such as age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, and culture expose women to intersecting forms of structural inequalities and such prejudices can weigh heavily on sentencing. This discrimination can also lead to inadequate consideration of critical mitigating factors during arrest and trial, including the specific vulnerabilities of women and likely patterns of abuse and gender-based violence that could have been triggers. While working towards the complete abolition of the death penalty worldwide for all crimes and for all genders, it is crucial to caution against the discrimination women in Nigeria face and the impact of such discrimination on women in conflict with the law within our criminal justice system.

We reckon that in July 2021, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola issued a call on state governors to consider signing warrants of death row inmates in states across Nigeria as a way of decongesting the correctional facilities. LEDAP had in an earlier statement recommended that the country should rather focus on reducing the 74% of awaiting trial inmates in our correctional facilities than executing death row inmates as a decongestion measure.

 

LEDAP on behalf of all death row inmates in Nigeria filed a suit at the Federal High sitting in Abuja in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1169/2020 Nnenna Obi & Godwin Pius v Comptroller General of Prisons & 36 Governors seeking a declaration that the imposition of capital punishment infringes the right to dignity of human person and seeks a restraining order against the Comptroller General of Prisons and the 36 State Governors of Nigeria from executing death row inmates.

 

Marking the 19th World Day Against Death Penalty, HURILAWS and LEDAP organized a media parley soliciting support from media practitioners to advocate for the abolition of death penalty. The meeting enlightened participants on Nigeria’s domestic, regional, and international obligations regarding right to life and mobilized support against the use of death penalty in Nigeria.

Finally, we call on Federal and State Governments to announce an official moratorium on all executions in Nigeria until all inadequacies in our criminal justice system are addressed and to amend our laws that provide for death sentence and replace same with life imprisonment or a term of years.