The Death Penalty in Nigeria: A Justifiable Punishment or A Violation of Human Rights ?

ABSTRACT:

The right to life is widely acknowledged as a fundamental right in every legal system. In certain jurisdictions, this right is absolute, while in others, including Nigeria, it is subject to limitations. One such restriction to the right to life in Nigeria is the death penalty, which has been the focus of much discussion among academics, jurists, lawyers, criminologists, and sociologists over the years. The death penalty is the punishment that a court of competent jurisdiction can impose on a convicted felon. Over the past forty years, international criminal law has been shifting against the death penalty in the fields of criminal justice and human rights worldwide. The legal and judicial framework for the administration of criminal justice in Nigeria still recognizes and imposes the death penalty, despite the fact that this practice has been abolished in many industrialized and developing nations worldwide. However, the death penalty is controversial in Nigeria, as it is in various other nations, even if it is recognized under Nigerian law. While some groups in Nigeria are advocating for the abolition of the death penalty as a form of punishment for certain capital offences, such as treason, armed robbery, and murder, others support its use for the same reasons. In light of the current controversy over the death penalty’s repeal or continuation in Nigeria, this work explores the concept, weighs the arguments for and against its use, and concludes by suggesting a workable course of action.

Key words: Human rights, Deterrence, Death penalty, Capital offence, and Capital punishment.