Capital punishment in Nigeria

Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Nigeria.[1]

Methods of executions include hanging and shooting and capital crimes include murder, terrorism-related offenses, rape, robbery, kidnapping, sodomy, homosexuality, blasphemy, adultery, incest, assisting the suicide of a person legally unable to consent, perjury in a capital case causing wrongful execution, treason, some military offences like mutiny and practice of indigenous beliefs in states applying Shariah law[2].

No executions took place between 2006 and 2013. In 2013, four prisoners on death row were hanged.[3] About a thousand prisoners were awaiting execution at the time.[4] After that, there were no more executions until 2016, when Nigeria carried out three executions.[5]

On 17 December 2014, after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit mutiny, 54 Nigerian soldiers were sentenced to death by firing squad.[6] The trial was held secretly by a military tribunal.[7]

The use of the death penalty in Nigeria has generated varied opinions among people in society.[8] In October 2014, former Governor of Delta State Emmanuel Uduaghan pardoned three inmates who were on death row following the recommendations by the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.[9] In 2017, the Nigerian government has rejected the call by Amnesty International to halt the planned execution of some inmates on death row in Lagos State, and pointed that the death penalty was expressly authorized by section 33 of the Constitution of Nigeria.[10]

See also

Further reading

  • Okhomina Esohe Grace (2004). Capital Punishment and Its Administration in Nigeria. A&E Corporate. ISBN 978-978-064-244-0.
  • Nigeria "Political Shariʼa"?: Human Rights and Islamic Law in Northern Nigeria. Human Rights Watch. 2004. pp. 24–. GGKEY:JPDB7Y1FBLK.

References

  1. ↑ Ayodeji Adeyemi (4 December 2013). "Waiting endlessly on Nigeria's death row". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  2. ↑ "The Death Penalty in Nigeria". Death Penalty Worldwide. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  3. ↑ "The Death Penalty in Nigeria". Death Penalty Worldwide. 19 June 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  4. ↑ "Politics this week". The Economist, page 8. 29 June 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  5. ↑ "Death sentences and executions in 2016". amnesty.org. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Nigerian soldiers given death penalty for mutiny". BBC News. 17 December 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  7. ↑ Nnochiri, Ikechukwu (22 December 2014). "Alleged mutiny: Hon flays secret trial, conviction of soldiers". Vanguard (Nigeria). Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  8. ↑ "Dons disagree on abolition of death penalty in Nigeria". Premium Times. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  9. ↑ "Uduaghan Pardons 77-year-old On Death Row". Information Nigeria. 7 October 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  10. ↑ "Death penalty: You cannot decide for Nigeria – FG carpets Amnesty International". dailypost.ng. Retrieved 21 August 2017.

Further reading

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