The Nigerian Department of Corrections(NCoS) has revealed that as many as 3,298 inmates are on death row in Nigerian prisons. However, Abubakar Umar, speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Wednesday, said the term “condemned criminal” has been abolished.
He explained that with the passage of the NCoS Act 2019, which converts prisons into correctional facilities, the term “condemned criminal” was abolished because it was stigmatized.
The service prefers to use the familiar term “Inmates on Death Row,” he said.
He pointed out that death sentences are not necessarily immediately executed.
“There are often long periods of uncertainty for the convicted while their cases are being appealed at higher levels.
“Some offenders have been executed more than 15 years after their convictions.
“They were basically awaiting the hangman’s noose in our custodial centres after being found guilty of capital offences.
“We have quite a number of them; as of today, we have a total of 3,298 inmates on death row. They constitute about 4.5 per cent of the total number of inmates in our various custodial centres nationwide,” he disclosed.
Umar said that some IDRs had been in custody for many years. He further added that some had been there since they were arrested up to when they were tried and sentenced.
According to him, many of them committed capital offences like culpable homicide, armed robbery, and terrorism, among others.
“The good thing is that we engage all of them in activities that will reform and modify their behaviours.
“The goal is to make them better citizens of the nation.
“We also make them undergo personal development programmes like anger management, civic education as well as entrepreneurship.
“Some of them, who do well and show some glimpse of hard work, industry and discipline, are recommended for clemency to the relevant authorities,” he said.
The spokesman said that many IDRs had been executed in the past. However, this was before the proliferation of the activities of human rights groups and organisations.
“Currently, there is somewhat a kind of moratorium on execution of offenders.
“Before the moratorium on execution of IDRs became widespread, executions of IDRs were being carried out as and at when due.
“But with the rising activities of human right groups, many governments shy away from signing the death warrants of these offenders.
“Though it is still in practice, it is not common as it used to be. The last execution of IDRs was carried out in 2016 in Edo.
“We encourage state governors, who shy away from signing the death warrants, to commute them into other sanctions,” he said.
cc: Punch Ng
