About two days ago news had it that one of the most wanted alleged criminal gang leader in Benue State Terwase Gana was allegedly executed by the military in extra- judicial killing. The stories behind the capture and the execution of Gana are not what I can assert to be true or false both from the side of military authorities and the state government.
The both parties have more explanations to do to convince inquisitive minds of what led to the alleged exchange of gunfire between the military and the late Gana.
There are more questions than answers we got from those in authority.
But that is not my worry in the whole saga. But I am worried about our new found principle of amnesty for those who have been alleged to have breached the criminal laws of the land. If Gana was such a criminal gang leader that he was able to do and to have done what those we elected to protect us said he did, why was the state unable to arrest him and bring him to book as it is being done to Evans in Lagos.
The whole ideas of amnesty in my estimation is an admission of failure of our security system and criminal justice system. The who purpose of panel laws is to serve as a deterrent to others when sanctions are applied after due processes are followed.
Granting amnesty or having an idea of doing so to those who snuffed lives out of people will more likely to encourage more criminal activities. Government needs to do more in applying deserved sanctions to those who breached the criminal law of the land.
Granting amnesty or having an idea of it to alleged criminals, as it is being done in our country, is to me self defeating and it serves as an encouragements to other would be criminal elements to do more crimes and be pardoned later in the name of amnesty.
The way and manner Gana met his death should not be celebrated by those who may feel victorious of his execution.
Being alive would have enable the state to learn from his expansive experiences in organising the profitable ventures for which the state was in awe of him.
JS OKutepa SAN .