PRAWA urges Nigeria to abolish death penalty, embrace humane justice

The Executive Director of the Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), Dr Uju Agomoh, has renewed calls for the abolition of the death penalty in Nigeria, urging the government to adopt justice reforms that prioritize rehabilitation over retribution.

Agomoh, a criminologist and Associate Professor of Criminology and Security Studies, emphasized the irreversible nature of capital punishment and its potential for fatal errors due to flaws in the justice system, including poor investigations and inadequate legal representation. She argued that these risks make the death penalty a morally and legally untenable practice.

“The reality of executing innocent individuals is not far-fetched in a system that struggles with investigative lapses and access to quality legal aid,” she warned, describing the punishment as inherently cruel, inhuman, and ineffective in deterring crime.

She also highlighted the psychological toll on inmates who spend years on death row, stating that the prolonged uncertainty amounts to torture and places an unnecessary burden on correctional facilities.

Instead of executions, PRAWA supports long-term sentencing models with opportunities for rehabilitation and reintegration. Agomoh noted that such alternatives are more constructive and align with evolving global standards on justice.

Referencing international experiences, she pointed to the case of Otis Johnson in the U.S., who spent 42 years wrongfully imprisoned, and Rwanda’s use of community-based restorative justice after the 1994 genocide. These, she said, demonstrate the need for justice systems that emphasize accountability, truth-telling, and healing over punitive measures.

Agomoh called for comprehensive reforms, including the legislative repeal of the death penalty, commutation of existing death sentences, stronger access to fair trials, and expansion of non-custodial sentencing options such as parole and community service.

She urged Nigeria to take advantage of its unofficial moratorium on executions and formalize its position through law, stating that abolishing the death penalty would reflect the country’s commitment to justice, human dignity, and effective penal reform.