Nigeria retains death penalty as more African nations abolish it

Death penalty remains a legal punishment in Nigeria although executions have slowed in the country, the government said Tuesday.

“While it is true that the death penalty is still a legal punishment in Nigeria, it is important to highlight that in recent history, executions have been comparatively low and their frequency has fluctuated over time, changing how the death penalty is actually applied,” Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi said at an event marking World Day Against Death Penalty 2023 in Abuja.

Mr Fagbemi was represented by Felix Ota-Okojie, secretary, federal justice reform coordinating committee in the justice ministry.

He said Nigeria retains the death penalty for certain grievous crimes, including murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, treason, conspiracy to treason, sedition, treachery, among others.

More offences are punished by death because of the adoption of the Islamic law, Sharia, in some northern Nigeria states, he said.

Moratorium

Nigeria has faced increasing calls to abolish the death penalty, especially as more African countries have ended the punishment. Ghana abolished the death penalty in 2023, a year after Central African Republic did. Sierra Leone ended the punishment in 2021.

Fifty-three countries around the world, including Nigeria, still authorise the death penalty. Nigeria had 3,298 inmates on death row by April, according to the Nigerian Correctional Service.

At the Abuja event, organized by Advocats Sans Frontieres, or Lawyers without Borders, the French and Australian governments urged Nigeria to end the practice.

The Charge D’ Affaires of Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Leann Johnston, said although the last death penalty in Nigeria took place in 2016, Nigeria should go a step further and implement an official moratorium.

“I call on Nigeria to implement an official moratorium on executions and to move towards formal abolition of the death penalty,” she said.

French ambassador to Nigeria, Emmanuelle Blatmann, said: “Every year, we continue to try to raise awareness on this common cause and diversify our means of action and efforts so that one day, this major issue will no longer be in the world, in Nigeria and elsewhere.”