Amnesty Rejects Hasty Execution Of Death Row Inmates

ABUJA, April 23, (THEWILL) - Amnesty International has condemned plans by states in the country to execute prisoners on death row to ease overcrowding in the prisons.

Abia State Governor Theodore Orji on Tuesday announced the resolution shortly after the 36 State Governors ended a crucial meeting in Abuja during which they resolved to solve the problem of prison congestion by among other things executing prisoners on death row.

There are currently more than 870 death row inmates, including women and juveniles.

Stating that the option is not the best method to solve the problem of prison congestion, Amnesty International in a statement Friday raised alarm that many death row prisoners may be innocent as Nigeria’s justice system is riddled with flaws.

Amnesty International Nigeria Researcher Aster Van Kregten in the statement said many Nigerians languishing in prison have been sentenced to death after blatantly unfair trials.

He said despite the provisions of International Criminal laws which prohibit the use of death penalty for crimes committed by people under 18, juvenile offenders are sentenced to death in the country.

Urging Nigerian authorities to find a better way to address the underlying problems in the criminal justice system Kregten said many prisoners in Nigeria have not been convicted of any offence adding that some on death row are still waiting for the determination of their appeals.

According to him, "It is shocking to suggest that executing prisoners is a way around this problem. More than three of every five prison inmates in Nigeria have not been convicted of any offence; instead they wait years for their trial in appalling conditions." 

According to Nigeria’s Minister of the Interior, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho, the total prison population is 46,000, of which some 30,000 are awaiting trial.

However, Amnesty is worried that only few of the prisoners can afford a lawyer. The government funded Legal Aid Council only has around 100 lawyers.