Nigeria Ready To Defend Execution Of 4 Convicts Before UN, Says Minister

[Shola Sholaz]

The Federal Government is ready to defend the recent execution of four convicts in Edo, which ended a seven-year moratorium on death penalty in the country, an official said.
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The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olugbenga Ashiru gave the indication in Abuja on Friday at a Consultative Forum on the forthcoming review of human rights in Nigeria under the UN Universal Period Review (UPR).
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Ashiru acknowledged that executions in Edo would likely come up when the country appears before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva this October for a periodic review of its human rights.
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It will be recalled that the June 24 execution in Edo had been criticised by the UK Government, UN and the EU High Representative, Catherine Ashton.
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According to the top EU diplomat, the execution negates recent commitment repeatedly made by Nigerian officials, most recently in May, to maintain the de facto moratorium on executions.