Anambra State Governor Prof Chukwuma Soludo has been urged to sponsor a bill to reintroduce the Death Penalty and Public Executions to the State House of Assembly as a means of stemming the tide of crime and criminality in the state.
A former Nigerian ambassador to Brazil and South Africa, Chief Mrs Uche Ajulu-Okeke, made the call in a recent chat with newsmen in Awka, while speaking on the spate of crime in the state.
Recall that a bill to amend section 33 of Nigeria’s constitution to abolish the death penalty has been filed at the Federal House of Representatives and scaled second reading today.
The proposed legislation, sponsored by the Benjamin Kalu, the deputy speaker and some other lawmakers is entitled: “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Review the Penalties for Certain Capital Offences in Alignment with Relevant International Best Practices and for Related Matters (HB. 2120).”
While it is unclear when the public hearing on the bill will be held, a date is currently expected within the first two weeks of April.
Ajulu-Okeke believes the spate of crime in society is because there is insufficient punishment to deter people from engaging in crime.
The former diplomat, while advocating prison reforms in the ongoing justice sector reform efforts, regretted the routine recycling of death-row criminals by politicians who use them for nefarious electoral activities.
She advised that the Anambra State Civil Service should reestablish the position of Hangmen, now an obsolete cadre in the federal Civil Service.
“The hangman used to be a cadre that stopped at level four in the Federal Service. They had no career prospects and so the cadre died out. So it should be reestablished.
“Insecurity is about to overrun the society and we can hardly control it. If people are afraid, you can put me on the committee and I will sign the death warrant.
“Society should be safe from criminals and miscreants.
“The emplacement of a society with a stable punishment and reward system will be of immense advantage to all of us.
“This would serve as a great deterrence and emplace a modicum of restraint no matter whose axe is gored or highly placed the individual,” she noted.
However, in a reaction, the Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said they are opposed to the reintroduction of the death penalty and the hangman cadre in the civil service.
He cited some dangers associated with the death penalty, including the risk of executing innocent people, as has been seen all over the world, noting that this amounts to a miscarriage of justice.
Nwanguma also said the practice could lead to disproportionate impact on marginalized groups, as it is said that human rights violations have a social bias targeting mainly the poor and the vulnerable.
He also said there is no conclusive evidence that the death penalty is an effective crime deterrent.
“In spite of the high number of people executed for crime, evidence has shown that it has not brought down the rate of crime.
“It is also a form of cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment prohibited under International Human Rights Law.
“There is also the argument that the death penalty is like an ‘eye for an eye’, which serves no meaningful purpose,” he said.
On alternative approaches, Nwanguma advocated improving law enforcement and justice systems, ensuring timely and fair trials, and providing adequate legal representation to defendants.
He also suggested addressing the root causes of crime, which include implementing programmes that speak to poverty, inequality, and social exclusion, which give impetus to crime.
Nwanguma further called for the promotion of restorative justice practices that focus on rehabilitation, reparation, and reconciliation, as well as support services for crime victims.
The RULAAC boss spoke of the role of Civil Society Organizations in advocating for human rights and human rights-compliant alternatives and engaging with policymakers to promote reforms that prioritize rehabilitation, restorative justice, and reconciliation.
