The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has rejected the recent life sentence given to two convicted terrorists and called for capital punishment.
In a statement on Wednesday, MURIC’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, said the death penalty is needed to deter others.
He described it as dangerous to keep terrorists in prison, citing their networks used to organize jailbreaks.
The group reacted to the judgement delivered on Monday, July 20 by Justice Emeka Nwite. The court convicted Abubakar Abba, also known as Abu Baraa, and Mahmud Usman, also known as Mahmuda, for terrorist activities.
The group said the verdict was “too lenient, too dangerous and too disproportionate.”
It added: “Terrorists who execute captives and traumatize families deserve capital punishment.We are of the opinion that it is dangerous to keep them with other inmates. They can convert ordinary prisoners into terrorists.”
The group said the terrorists who staged the kidnap of school children and teachers at Oriire, Oyo State recently had demanded the release of the same two terrorists who were sentenced two days ago as a condition for releasing their innocent victims.
It reasoned that the development should have sent a red alert to the authorities that terrorists are taking advantage of the democratic environment to abuse our values.
According to the group, those who rob others of the dividends of democracy do not deserve to enjoy same, adding that terrorists have no right to claims of fundamental human rights.
It added :”We therefore demand the death penalty for any terrorist found guilty of active participation in terror attacks.
”In view of several audacious attacks on prison facilities and the tendency of terrorists to plan attacks from prison, we also demand that terrorists sentenced to death must be executed within seven days of the judgement.
”The Federal Government should put all necessary legal niceties in place to ensure that due process is followed in this regard.”