BREAKING: Bill to Abolish Death Penalty Passes Second Reading in House of Representatives

A bill seeking to abolish the death penalty in Nigeria has passed its second reading at the House of Representatives.

The proposed legislation, sponsored by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu and six other lawmakers, aims to amend Section 33(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which currently allows for the execution of individuals convicted of capital offences.

The section states: “Every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria.”

The bill proposes to delete the phrase: “Save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria,” effectively eliminating capital punishment from Nigeria’s legal framework.

Although the death penalty remains in the country’s laws for crimes such as armed robbery and murder, executions have been rare. Successive presidents and governors have refrained from signing death warrants since 1999, leading to a growing number of death row inmates.

In recent years, human rights activists have intensified calls for the abolition of capital punishment, advocating for its replacement with life imprisonment or longer sentences.