ASF France urges FG to declare moratorium on executions

AVOCATS Sans Frontières France (ASF France) has urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to officially declare a moratorium on the death penalty.

Head of Nigeria Office, Avocats Sans Frontières France, Angela Uwandu, in a statement to commemorate the 13th World Day Against Death Penalty, said a re-instatement of this moratorium will only re-enforce Nigeria’s position on respect for human rights and will also give the country a stronger voice in the international community.

She lamented that Nigeria had in the past successfully implemented a defacto moratorium prior to the last executions in 2013.

ASF France also used the occasion to commend the governor of Kaduna State, Mallam El-Rufai for his gesture towards detainees on death row in Kaduna prisons. 

“The governor signed the commutal order for eight detainees on death row in Kaduna prisons in exercise of his power of Prerogative of Mercy as outlined under Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria.” 

“The detainees had their death sentences reduced to between 10 and 15 years except one detainee who had his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment,” she said.

The organization, therefore, urged other state governors to follow suit in the case of detainees on death row in their states and beyond. 

“ASF France reiterates that the death penalty does not deter crime more than other forms of punishment and execution is irreversible.”

“ASF France as a matter of principle remains opposed to the use of the death penalty in all situations and circumstances because it is a violation of the fundamental right to life,” Uwandu added.