Daily Trust 

NIGERIA: Abolition of Death Penalty to Be Debated - Obasanjo

President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Wednesday in Abuja, said that the proposal to abolish death penalty in Nigeria would be subjected to public debate.

Responding to an initiative presented by a member of the European Parliament seeking Nigeria's support for an international ban on capital punishment, the President noted that while he personally supported the ban, the issue was new and sensitive in the country and would require open debate.

"Personally, I will have nothing to do with death penalty," he said, adding that "I have been a victim of injustice and would have been killed."

He however noted that abolishing the death penalty would require providing sufficient deterrents against further murders and reforming the prisons and the judiciary.

"I believe that we would need a lot of money to actually reform the prisons where if we abolishe capital punishment, we would hold some prisoners for life," he said.

President Obasanjo assured that the proposal to suspend or place a moratorium on capital punishment for some years would be explored adding that he would support any Bill on the issue from the National Assembly.

Earlier, Mr. Marco Cappato of the European Parliament and also of the Italian Radical Party, had told the President that 127 countries had already endorsed the proposed United Nation's resolution to abolish the death penalty and Nigeria's support was crucial because of its leadership role in Africa.

Also on Wednesday, President Obasanjo received a special envoy of the Russian President and deputy defence minister, Lt. General Mikhail Dmitriev.

The President assured the envoy who is also the Chairman of the Russian Federation on Military and Technical Co-operation, that Nigeria was ready to engage in fruitful cooperation with the Russian Federation not only in military areas but also on increased trade between both countries.