A leading human rights group is
asking UN rapporteurs to help try to stop
the mass executions of soldiers sentenced
to death by firing squad in Nigeria for
refusing to fight Islamic militants.
54 troops received death sentences last
week, 12 were condemned in September
and 45 more soldiers, including a few
officers, await their fate in ongoing courts-
martial.
The Socio-Economic Rights and
Accountability Project said on Wednesday
that the courts-martial held in secret were
"a mockery of justice" and ignored issues
raised by the condemned men that
"suggest lack of transparency, accountability
and general deficiencies" in the handling of
the security budget and arms purchases.
Project director Adetokunbo Mumuni said
they have appealed for an intervention
from five special UN rapporteurs who deal
with arbitrary executions, cruel
punishment, promotion of truth and justice
and protection of human rights while
countering terrorism.
"It is not right or fair to try everyone in
mass proceedings, and that such an unfair
trial should send someone to the gallows,"
Mumuni said in a statement.
He said the mass death sentences breach
the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights, which limit the
circumstances in which a state can impose
the death penalty.
Defence attorney Femi Falana has charged
the group of 54 was convicted because they
embarrassed Nigeria's military by
demanding weapons to fight extremists. He
also said the soldiers were justified in not
going on what he said would have been a
suicidal mission.
Nigerian soldiers have complained to AP
that the country's home-grown Boko Haram
insurgents are better equipped than they,
that officers steal some of their salaries,
and that some soldiers are colluding with
the extremists.
This week the former chief of army staff,
Lieutenant General Onyeabor Azubuike
Ihejirika, filed a lawsuit against Australian
hostage negotiator, Stephen Davis for
naming him among alleged sponsors of
Boko Haram. Ihejirika is demanding $555m
in aggravated damages. Davis could not
immediately be reached for comment.

http://m.news24.com/news24/Africa/News/UN-urged-to-intervene-in-Nigerian-executions-20141225

WHY ARE NIGERIANS HYPOCRITES?
WHY DID THESE FOOLISH GROUPS NOT CALL FOR UN'S INTERVENTION WHEN BUHARIS BOKOHARAM WERE KILLING CHRISTIANS AND DESTROYING CHURCHES?