The Lagos State Government is set to execute death row inmates, including the General-Overseer of the Christian Praying Assembly, Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, popularly known as Reverend King.
This was disclosed by the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Adeniji Kazeem, at a news conference on Tuesday.
He said the development was on the instruction of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
Mr Kazeem noted that the state was reviewing the matter on the complaints from prison officials about the highhandedness of some death row inmates who behave as if they have certain rights which excluded them from being executed.
“Very soon, you will see the action of this government on that issue. We are reviewing the case of Rev. King and others on death roll,” he said.
The attorney-general further assured that, unlike previous administrations, Governor Ambode would sign the necessary documents to execute those on death row.
“Lots of people are on death row, Rev. King is not the only one on death row. It is on the instruction of Ambode that I visited the prisons recently and I discuss the issue with the prison officials and they expressed their concerns.
“We are moving in that direction of signing. The prison officials said we need to look at that seriously.
“Those on death row are beginning to think they have some rights. We are going to move in that direction, you will hear from me, but I will not tell you the exact date,” Kazeem said.
The Supreme Court had on February 27, 2016 upheld the judgment of the Appeal Court which passed death penalty on Rev King.
The clergyman was arraigned before the Lagos High Court in Ikeja on September 26, 2006, on six-count charges bordering on the murder of a member of his church, Ann Uzoh, and attempted murder of five other members after pouring petrol on the victims for allegedly committing fornication.
Uzoh, who sustained 65 per cent burnt in the fire incident, died on August 2, 2006, 11 days after the incident, as a result of the injuries from the burns.
Justice Olubunmi Oyewole, of the High Court, had in his judgement delivered on January 11, 2007, convicted Ezeugo and sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment on each of the five counts of attempted murder.
The judge passed a death sentence for murder.
