The Programmes Manager of Amnesty International, Mrs. Barbara Magaji, made a strong call to remove all legal provisions—both national and state—that violate international human rights law, specifically targeting provisions that allow for the death penalty.

Magaji made this appeal during a stakeholders’ dialogue in Abuja on Thursday, which was organized by Amnesty International in collaboration with the French Embassy in Nigeria to commemorate the World Day Against Death Penalty.

Magaji urged the government to ensure that the criminal justice system is sufficiently resourced and capable of effectively investigating crimes. She argued that the system must also be able to fully support victims and guarantee fair trials “without recourse to the death penalty.”

She further recommended that the Federal Government, through the National Assembly, should consider the abolition of the death penalty for all crimes as part of the ongoing Nigerian Constitutional Amendment process.

She based this argument on a lack of supporting data, stating: “This is because there is no convincing evidence that the death penalty has a unique deterrent effect on crimes.”

She provided evidence demonstrating the penalty’s ineffectiveness in Nigeria: “In Nigeria presently, 26 states and the FCT have introduced or amended existing laws prescribing the death penalty for kidnapping, banditry, cattle rustling, and cultism.”

Despite this, she noted, the country continues to record high levels of crime: “In spite the introduction of the death penalty, the country continues to record an increase in banditry, abduction and general criminality.”

Amnesty International’s research on violence and killings in Nigeria confirms this trend, showing an increase in general insecurity, unlawful killings, and kidnap for ransom, “This is in spite of the introduction of the death penalty to crimes of banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, and cultism.”

Magaji presented concerning statistics for the current year: “Our documentation of insecurity in 2024 indicates that there have been over 181 incidents resulting in extra-judicial killings arising from banditry/terrorism, urban crime and herdsmen farmers conflict and SGBV.”

These incidents, she added, “has led to over 3169 deaths. In 2024, 881 people were kidnapped. In 2025, there were 2313 deaths arising from 204 insecurity incidents with some situations resulting in the kidnapping of 1025 people.”

She attributed the rising insecurity to a complex combination of several factors affecting society at different levels, from national to community. She emphasized that the underlying causes of insecurity need to be addressed broadly, and a comprehensive crime prevention mechanism deployed rather than the quick fix approach that was ineffective.

Magaji reiterated Amnesty International’s core stance: “Amnesty International is opposed the death penalty in all cases.”

She listed the fundamental human rights violations inherent in the penalty, asserting: “Amnesty International considers that death penalty violates the right to life as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.”

She highlighted the risk of judicial error: “The death penalty is often imposed after a grossly unfair trial. But even when trials respect international standards of fairness, the risk of executing the innocent can never be fully eliminated.” Magaji warned that the penalty “will inevitably claim innocent victims, as has been persistently demonstrated. The trend towards abolition of the death penalty is clear.”

She clarified the organization’s position regarding victims, stating: “In opposing the death penalty, Amnesty International is in no way seeking to condone the crimes for which those sentenced to death were convicted.” She fully acknowledged the suffering of victims and their families and recognized the government’s duty to protect their rights.

She concluded that people found guilty after a fair trial “should be held accountable but without recourse to the death penalty.” Globally, 143 countries have now abolished the death penalty in law or practice.