Amnesty International has urged the Nigerian government to abolish the death penalty, arguing that it is ineffective as a deterrent and violates human rights. The appeal was made by the organization’s Programmes Manager, Barbara Magaji, during a stakeholders’ dialogue marking the World Day Against the Death Penalty. The event, held in collaboration with the French Embassy in Abuja, called for the removal of provisions in national and state laws that permit capital punishment, which Magaji said contravene international human‑rights standards.
Magaji stressed that a well‑resourced criminal‑justice system is essential for investigating crimes, supporting victims and guaranteeing fair trials without resorting to the death penalty. She noted that, despite the introduction of capital punishment for offenses such as kidnapping, banditry and cultism in 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria’s criminal activity continues to rise. Amnesty International’s research shows that the country recorded more than 181 incidents of extrajudicial killings and 3,169 deaths in 2024, along with 881 kidnappings. In 2025, there were 2,313 deaths and 1,025 kidnappings, underscoring the penalty’s lack of deterrent effect.
Magaji attributed Nigeria’s growing insecurity to a combination of societal factors and advocated for a comprehensive crime‑prevention strategy rather than reliance on the death penalty. She reiterated Amnesty International’s absolute opposition to capital punishment, citing the right to life enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. This position is reinforced by the fact that 143 countries have now abolished the death penalty in law or practice.
While acknowledging the suffering of victims of violent crime and their families, Magaji argued that perpetrators should be held accountable without resorting to execution. She called on the Nigerian government to consider abolishing the death penalty for all crimes as part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process, aligning the nation’s laws with international human‑rights standards.
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