Amnesty International has renewed its call for the abolition of the death penalty in Nigeria, urging both the Federal and State Governments to align the country’s laws with international human rights standards.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ dialogue marking the World Day Against the Death Penalty, Mrs. Barbara Magaji, Programme Manager at Amnesty International Nigeria, emphasized the urgent need to eliminate all legal provisions that authorize capital punishment.
The event, held in Abuja, was jointly organized by Amnesty International and the French Embassy in Nigeria.
Magaji noted that the death penalty violates the right to life, as protected under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. She stressed that the government should instead invest in a stronger and more transparent criminal justice system—one that prioritizes effective investigation, fair trials, and justice for victims without resorting to execution.
“There is no credible evidence that the death penalty serves as a unique deterrent to crime,” Magaji said.“Despite introducing death sentences for kidnapping, banditry, cattle rustling, and cultism across 26 states and the FCT, insecurity in Nigeria has continued to rise.”
According to Amnesty International’s 2024–2025 research on insecurity in Nigeria, over 3,000 people were killed and more than 1,900 were kidnapped in separate violent incidents across the country. The report attributes the escalating violence to systemic weaknesses, poor governance, and inadequate community-level security strategies.
Magaji described the death penalty as a “quick fix” that fails to address the root causes of crime. Instead, she called for comprehensive reforms that strengthen law enforcement capacity, ensure justice for victims, and uphold the dignity of all Nigerians.
“Even when trials meet international fairness standards, the risk of executing innocent individuals remains. The death penalty will always claim innocent lives,” she added.
She further revealed that 143 countries worldwide have now abolished the death penalty, either in law or in practice—highlighting a growing global trend toward abolition.
Amnesty International reaffirmed that it does not condone violent crimes but believes that justice should not come at the expense of human rights. The organization urged the National Assembly to consider the complete abolition of capital punishment in the ongoing constitutional review process.
“People found guilty of crimes must be held accountable, but without recourse to the death penalty,” Magaji concluded.
In Ebonyi State, reports earlier this year confirmed that the State High Court sentenced two individuals to death for offences related to murder and armed robbery. The development adds a local dimension to Amnesty International’s recent call for the abolition of capital punishment, as Nigeria continues to debate the relevance and fairness of the death penalty within its justice system.
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