NHRC Seeks Death Penalty Moratorium as 3,000 Inmates Languish On Death Row

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Nigeria has urged the federal government to impose a moratorium on executions and state governors to reduce death row sentences to life imprisonment, as over 3,000 inmates remain on death row across the country. The commission argues that Nigeria has been without state executions for 10 consecutive years, meeting international standards for a de facto moratorium, despite continuous imposition of death sentences and prolonged detention of condemned inmates.

NHRC Executive Secretary, Chief Tony Ojukwu, made the appeal during the commemoration of the 2026 World Day Against the Death Penalty in Abuja. He urged the government to formalize the suspension of executions and state governors to exercise mercy to commute death sentences, especially in cases where inmates have exhausted their appeals but remain on death row.

Ojukwu also proposed reviewing laws that mandate death penalties, arguing that judges should consider mitigating circumstances and systemic vulnerabilities before determining punishment. Although capital punishment is still constitutionally valid in Nigeria, Ojukwu stressed its administration must align with human rights obligations and fair trial principles.

The NHRC outlined three immediate policy measures: an official moratorium, commutation of eligible death sentences, and a comprehensive review of mandatory capital punishment laws. Ojukwu's appeal highlights the plight of condemned inmates who have exhausted legal options but remain in custody and the broader implications of prolonged confinement on criminal justice administration.