I’m ready to sign death warrant of convicts, says Bauchi Gov

Bauchi State Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir on Friday assented to the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) act and the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) declaring that he is now ready to sign death warrant of anyone found guilty in accordance with the laws.

Speaking shortly after signing the laws as well as the 2023 Appropriation Bill at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Bala Mohammed stressed the importance of the laws saying that they will fasten and enhance the dispensation of justice.

The Governor said, “My Lord the Chief Judge is here with us, if the Judges will have the courage to implement the laws, I have the courage to sign the death warrant at the end of exhaustive legal processes.”

He, however, noted that “Though it is going to be a tough decision to sign a death warrant, but we will have no option other than to do just that because it behooves us to ensure that justice was served.”

Bala Mohammed said that if someone is sentenced to death after an exhaustive legal process and still kept on waiting, the authorities will not be fair to such a person, therefore, the death warrant must be signed,” in fact, we are ready to sign all the warrants of death.”

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The Governor lamented that the cases of violence against women and children especially girls are on the increase in the state, expressing assurance however that with the signing of the laws, the menace will be minimized to the barest minimum.

According to him, “Imagine a 9-month-old, a 3-year-old girl being defiled by a man old enough to be a grandfather, this is unacceptable. It left for the judiciary to enforce the laws to ensure that criminal justice is not delayed any longer.”

On the 2023 appropriation, he commended the State House of Assembly for the speedy manner it treated it, saying that it will enhance the delivery of dividends of democracy to the people of the state.

He said, “with the early passage and assenting, we will be able to begin full implementation at the beginning of the new financial year. I really commend the cordial relationship between the 3 arms of government in the state. The House Assembly has been very supportive.”

Earlier while presenting the Bills to the Governor for assent, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Abubakar Y Suleiman said that they were done for the effective running of governance in the state.

The Speaker added that all the grey areas of the VAPP and Administration of Criminal Justice laws have been corrected and are ready to be applied as soon as they are assented to by the Governor.

He commended the harmonious working relationship between the two arms saying that it has gone a long way in ensuring that the people got quality leadership in the state.