3,650 Inmates sentenced go death awaiting to be executed in Nigerian Prisons
In recognition of the World Day Against the Death Penalty, Advocats Sans Frontières (ASF) France, also known as Lawyers Without Borders, has expressed deep concerns regarding the increasing number of inmates on death row in Nigeria, revealing that there are currently 3,650 inmates awaiting execution across the country.
The organisation revealed that the 3,650 inmates included 63 women, awaiting execution across 11 maximum-security prisons in the country. Ms. Angela Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, ASF’s Country Director, shared these statistics during a high-level technical consultation held on Thursday.
She pointed out that although Nigeria has maintained a voluntary moratorium on executions since 2014, the lack of a formal policy leaves death row inmates at risk of execution at any moment.
“While the moratorium is a positive step, the absence of an enforceable policy means that over 3,000 inmates remain vulnerable to execution,” Uzoma-Iwuchukwu stated. She emphasized that Nigeria has the highest number of death row inmates in sub-Saharan Africa, a figure that continues to grow as new death sentences are frequently issued.
The event also included comments from Mr. Chinonye Obiagwu, SAN, Executive Director of the Legal Defence & Assistance Project (LEDAP), who reiterated Nigeria’s standing as the African nation with the most death row prisoners.
“With the highest number of offenses punishable by death, this trend is extremely concerning,” Obiagwu remarked, urging the government to abolish capital punishment.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) joined in calling for an end to the death penalty.
NHRC Executive Secretary Mr. Anthony Ojukwu, SAN, highlighted the irreversible nature of capital punishment and its potential for causing irreparable harm, especially in wrongful conviction cases.
“We cannot overlook the evidence that indicates capital punishment does not deter crime. The risk of executing innocent individuals remains one of the greatest failures of any justice system,” Ojukwu added.
Representing the NBA, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, labeled the death penalty as “outdated and ineffective,” urging the federal government to reconsider its application.
He assured that the NBA would continue advocating for reforms to ensure fair trials and humane sentencing, including providing free legal services to those facing capital punishment.
International representatives, such as the Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ms. Leilani Bin-Juda, and Jean-François Hasperue, Deputy Head of Mission at the French Embassy, also attended the event, demonstrating global support for Nigeria’s efforts to abolish the death penalty.
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