AT least 3,500 Nigerians are currently on death row, according to the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annett Günther, who reiterated her country’s firm opposition to capital punishment.
Günther stated this during an event marking the 2025 International Day Against the Death Penalty in Abuja, co-organised by the German Embassy, Avocats Sans Frontières France, and the Australian High Commission in Abuja on Friday, October 10.
According to Günther, the death penalty remains one of the world’s most pressing human rights concerns. She noted that despite a global shift toward abolition, Nigeria still retains the punishment in its legal system.
“It is estimated that globally over 20,000 individuals are currently on death row and awaiting execution through very gruesome methods. Among them are 3,500 Nigerians,” she stated.
The envoy emphasised that capital punishment goes beyond legal issues, touching the fundamental values of human dignity and the right to life.
“The irreversible nature of the death penalty means that mistakes and wrongful convictions are beyond any correction,” she stated.
Günther commended President Bola Tinubu for commuting the sentences of seven death row inmates to life imprisonment, describing it as a positive step. She also welcomed Nigeria’s continued moratorium on executions since 2016, urging the country to take further steps toward full abolition.
The ambassador noted that the global trend shows increasing rejection of the death penalty, with 144 countries abolishing it either in law or practice. She referenced a recent United Nations Human Rights Council resolution calling for a worldwide moratorium on executions, which was adopted with a strong majority vote.
Also speaking at the event, the Charge d’Affaires of the Australian High Commission to Nigeria, Neil Sanderson, called on Nigeria to take decisive steps toward abolishing the death penalty, describing it as “a cruel, inhumane and ineffective punishment that undermines human dignity and justice.”
Sanderson reaffirmed Australia’s unwavering opposition to capital punishment in all cases, stressing that the global tide has shifted firmly against it.
“Australia’s position is clear — we oppose the death penalty in all circumstances and continue to call for its global abolition,” he said.
He noted that more than 144 countries have abolished the death penalty either in law or practice, with recent progress recorded in parts of Africa and the Asia-Pacific region.
“In our region, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea have abolished the death penalty. Across Africa, Zimbabwe joined Ghana, Zambia, the Central African Republic and Sierra Leone in taking this historic step,” Sanderson stated.
He welcomed Nigeria’s ongoing constitutional review, which considers the possibility of abolition, adding that public opinion within the country is beginning to shift.
Speaking on behalf of the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Tony Ojukwu, a representative of the Commission, said this year’s theme — “The Death Penalty Protects No One: Abolish It Now” — is both timely and aligned with the NHRC’s core mandate to promote and protect the right to life.
The NHRC renewed its call for the abolition of the death penalty in Nigeria, saying it remains one of the most pressing human rights issues confronting the nation.
“The death penalty remains one of the most contentious human rights issues of our time, raising critical questions about justice, equity, dignity, and the sanctity of life.
“Every human being has the inherent right to life as guaranteed under our constitution and international human rights instruments to which Nigeria is a party.”
He described the irreversible nature of the death penalty as deeply troubling, particularly in cases where judicial errors may occur.
The NHRC urged Nigerians to use the occasion not only to reflect but also “to advocate, to educate, and to build momentum toward a Nigeria where justice does not come at the cost of life.”
In her opening remarks at the event, the Country Director of Avocats Sans Frontières France (ASF France) in Nigeria, Angela Uwandu, said the group has been working in Nigeria since 2011 to review the laws and the application of the death penalty.
According to her, one of the things they have learned representing persons facing the death penalty, providing free legal services and other support, is that the death penalty protects no one and has shown that it is used disproportionately against the most vulnerable in society.
“The stories are the same. Our clients are subjected to the worst form of torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. And this is always because we have the mandatory death penalty in Nigeria. That simply means that Nigeria is one of the countries where there are certain crimes that the law says must be punished by death,” she stated.
She also claims judges in Nigeria are not allowed to exercise their discretion to look at the facts of the case before them.
“Once execution is carried out, it’s irreversible. We do not have the opportunity to bring back anyone when evidence of this and it does happens several times to show that a person is innocent,” she said.
Nwandu said Nigeria is just one of the few 16 countries that continue to retain the death penalty and said she looks forward to a time when the country will be bold enough to have a conversation around the issue.
The International Day Against the Death Penalty, observed annually on October 10, promotes global efforts to end capital punishment and raise awareness about its irreversible and discriminatory nature.
The ASF (Lawyers Without Borders) marked the occasion in Nigeria with the screening of a movie titled ‘Just Mercy‘.
The movie is a true-life story that follows Bryan Stevenson, a young Black lawyer and Harvard graduate who moves to Alabama in the United States of America to defend people wrongly convicted or too poor to afford proper legal help.
One of his earliest and most significant cases is that of Walter “Johnny D.” McMillian, a Black man sentenced to death in 1987 for the murder of a white woman, Ronda Morrison, despite clear evidence of his innocence.
As Stevenson digs deeper, he uncovers a web of lies, racial prejudice, and corruption within the justice system that led to McMillian’s wrongful conviction.
Despite intimidation and legal hurdles, Stevenson persists and eventually succeeds in overturning the conviction, exposing deep-seated flaws in America’s criminal justice system—especially its bias against poor and Black defendants.
The film explores themes such as racial injustice, wrongful convictions, and the moral and legal failures surrounding the death penalty. It also celebrates courage, compassion, and the relentless pursuit of justice.
No Death Penalty Day promotes awareness about the injustices of capital punishment.
The movie Just Mercy aligns with this cause by illustrating how the death penalty often targets the vulnerable and amplifies systemic racism. Stevenson’s work highlights the risk of executing innocent people and calls for mercy, fairness, and the abolition of capital punishment. The story serves as a reminder that justice should be guided by humanity, not vengeance.
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance