capital punishment in Nigeria

The death penalty is authorized by Section 33 of the Constitution of Nigeria.{{cite news|title=Death penalty: You cannot decide for Nigeria – FG carpets Amnesty International|publisher=dailypost.ng|url=http://dailypost.ng/2017/04/29/death-penalty-cannot-decide-nigeria-fg-carpets-amnesty-international/|access-date=21 August 2017}} Capital crimes are defined under several laws, namely The Criminal Code Act LFN (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 1990 (which is almost impari materia with the various Criminal Code laws in the Southern part of Nigeria), The Penal Code Act LFN 1990 (impari materia with the Penal Code operational in the various States in the Northern Part of the country), The Robbery and Firearms Decree 1984, and The Sharia Penal Code (applicable in 12 Northern States). Offenses punishable by death include armed robbery, murder, treason, conspiracy to treason, treachery, fabricating false evidence leading to the conviction to death of an innocent person, aiding suicide of a child or lunatic; and under Sharia Law zina (adultery), rape, sodomy, incest, witchcraft and juju offences.{{Cite web |title=Basic Country Report - Nigeria |url=https://www.biicl.org/files/2160_basic_country_report_nigeria.pdf |access-date=18 December 2024 |website=British Institute of International and Comparative Law}}

Pregnant women and people younger than 18 may not be sentenced to death. If convicted of a capital offence, they will instead be sentenced to life imprisonment.{{Cite book |title=Ondo State of Nigeria Official Gazette, Law No. 2 of 2016, Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2015 |publisher=Ondo State Government |year=2016 |location=Akure}}

The methods of executions include hanging, firing squad, stoning, and since 2015, lethal injection.{{cite web |url=http://www.businessdayonline.com/death-penalty-nigeria-constitutional-unconventional/ |title=Death penalty in Nigeria: Constitutional but unconventional |last=Nwachukwu |first=J.B. |date=April 26, 2017 |work=Business Day |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170426043947/http://www.businessdayonline.com/death-penalty-nigeria-constitutional-unconventional/ |archive-date=April 26, 2017 |url-status=dead}}

During the Nigerian military juntas of 1966–79 and 1983–98, the government executed its political opponents, most notoriously when General Sani Abacha ordered the execution of the Ogoni Nine by hanging in 1995.{{Cite web|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/450161/NIGERIAS-MILITARY-LEADERS-HANG-PLAYWRIGHT-AND-8-OTHER-ACTIVISTS.html?pg=all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140727171443/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/450161/NIGERIAS-MILITARY-LEADERS-HANG-PLAYWRIGHT-AND-8-OTHER-ACTIVISTS.html?pg=all|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 27, 2014|title=Nigeria's Military Leaders Hang Playwright and 8 Other Activists|website=Deseret News |date=11 November 1995}}

Since the transition to democracy in 1999, death sentences are often given but rarely carried out. After 2006, no executions took place until June 2013, when four prisoners on death row were hanged,{{Cite news|last=Hirsch|first=Afua|date=2013-06-25|title=Nigeria hangs four prisoners|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/25/nigeria-prisoners-hanged-benin-city|access-date=2020-05-08|issn=0261-3077}} although about a thousand other condemned prisoners were awaiting execution at the time.{{cite news|title=Politics this week|url=http://audio.economist.com/news/world-week/21580204-politics-week|access-date=31 January 2018|publisher=The Economist, page 8|date=29 June 2013}} The next executions occurred in 2016, when three men were hanged for murder and armed robbery.{{cite web|title= Death sentences and executions in 2016|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/act50/5740/2017/en/ |publisher= amnesty.org |access-date=August 21, 2017}}

On 17 December 2014, after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit mutiny, 54 Nigerian soldiers were sentenced to death by firing squad.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-30526725 | title=Nigerian soldiers given death penalty for mutiny | work=BBC News | date=17 December 2014 | access-date=11 August 2015}} The trial was held secretly by a military tribunal.{{cite news|last1=Nnochiri|first1=Ikechukwu|title=Alleged mutiny: Hon flays secret trial, conviction of soldiers|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/12/alleged-mutiny-hon-flays-secret-trial-conviction-soldiers/|access-date=31 January 2018|publisher=Vanguard (Nigeria)|date=22 December 2014}}

The use of the death penalty in Nigeria has generated debate.{{cite web | url=http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/93561-dons_disagree_on_abolition_of_death_penalty_in_nigeria.html | title=Dons disagree on abolition of death penalty in Nigeria | work=Premium Times | date=19 July 2012 | access-date=11 August 2015}} In October 2014, former Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan pardoned three inmates who were on death row following the recommendations by the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.{{cite news | url=http://www.informationng.com/2014/10/uduaghan-pardons-77-year-old-on-death-row.html | title=Uduaghan Pardons 77-year-old On Death Row | work=Information Nigeria | date=7 October 2014 | access-date=11 August 2015}} In 2017, the Nigerian government rejected the call by Amnesty International to halt the planned execution of some inmates in Lagos State.

In May 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, a court in Lagos used a video conferencing application to issue a death sentence.{{Cite web|title=A man was sentenced to death via Zoom in Nigeria, sparking criticism from rights groups|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/07/africa/nigeria-zoom-death-sentence-intl/index.html|last=Adebayo|first=Bukola|date=7 May 2020|website=CNN|access-date=2020-05-08}}

In addition to executions carried out in accordance with the law, there are also extrajudicial executions in Nigeria.{{Cite news |date=June 2009 |title=KILLING AT WILL. EXTRAJUDICIAL EXECUTIONS AND OTHER UNLAWFUL KILLINGS BY THE POLICE IN NIGERIA |url=https://www.amnesty.org/fr/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/afr440372009en.pdf}} According to an estimate by the human rights group Global Rights, there were 800 extrajudicial executions in Nigeria in the period of 2020-2023.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-23 |title=Rights Group: Nigeria Recorded More Than 800 Extrajudicial Executions in 3 Years |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/rights-group-nigeria-recorded-848-extrajudicial-executions-in-3-years/7322975.html |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=Voice of America |language=en}}

{{Portal|Nigeria|Law}}

• Crime in Nigeria
• Law of Nigeria

• {{cite book |author=Grace |title=Capital Punishment and Its Administration in Nigeria |first=Okhomina Esohe |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hyAItwAACAAJ |year=2004 |publisher=A&E Corporate |isbn=978-978-064-244-0}}
• {{cite book |title=Nigeria "Political Shari'a"?: Human Rights and Islamic Law in Northern Nigeria |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_hi3_Vm_IET8C |year=2004 |publisher=Human Rights Watch |pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_hi3_Vm_IET8C/page/n26 24]– |id=GGKEY:JPDB7Y1FBLK}}

{{Reflist}}

• Whitehead, Eleanor. "[http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2015/08/nigeria-addiction-death-sentence-150804123550934.html Nigeria's addiction to the death sentence]." Al Jazeera. August 11, 2015.

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• [http://www.deathpenaltyworldwide.org/country-search-post.cfm?country=Nigeria Nigeria: Death Penalty Worldwide] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220160421/https://www.deathpenaltyworldwide.org/country-search-post.cfm%3Fcountry%3DNigeria |date=2019-12-20 }}
• "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zl2b7o3Aopo SYND 25/04/1971 CONDEMNED MEN ARE EXECUTED IN NIGERIA ]." Associated Press.

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Category:Crime in Nigeria

Category:Law of Nigeria