Nigeria begins death penalty debate

By Sam Olukoya
BBC, Lagos

Some Nigerians say the death penalty acts as a crime deterrent

The Nigerian Government has begun a national debate on whether or not the death penalty should be abolished.

The debate will be taken to all parts of the country to allow interested individuals and groups to give their views on the issue.

Opinions collated during the debate will form the government's position on whether or not to abolish the death penalty.

Nigeria's attorney general and Justice Minister Akin Olujimi has initiated the national debate to see how Nigerians feel about the issue.

"It is part of my reform agenda to excite a national debate on this issue to see whether it is possible we can agree on a common approach to this matter," he said.

"We will take the debate around, it would not just be in Lagos alone... so that we can take the views of everybody."

Contrary positions

The first in the series of national debates on the issue took place in the commercial capital Lagos.

If it is found that it was done in error, there can be no remedy Nigerian human rights worker Chuma Ubani

Several interest groups presented conflicting positions on the issue.

The Nigerian prisons service gave its position on the issue by citing the old adage that those who kill by the sword should die by the sword.

But human rights groups hold a contrary position.

Chuma Ubani is head of the Civil Liberties Organization, Nigeria's largest human rights group.

"No form of punishment can be more inhuman; can be more unusual than the death penalty," he said.

"One of the arguments we have against the death penalty is that once the punishment is inflicted it is final and, if it is found that it was done in error, there can be no remedy."

Muslim anger

Reactions from a cross-section of Nigerians show how sharply divided the country is on the issue.

Even if you have a strong opposition to abolition of death penalty, the only thing we expect you to do is to come forward and press your views Nigerian attorney general and Justice Minister Akin Olujimi

"The death penalty is good for people who have killed because it will serve as deterrent to other people," one person said.

But another disagreed.

"I am opposed to death penalty. I think it should be removed from our statues books because it does not actually deter [as shown in] findings, from statistics," another Nigerian said.

Nigerians are so divided over the death penalty issue that anger has been expressed in some quarters.

Some angry Muslims say the government intends to abolish the death penalty to prevent them from fully implementing Islamic law.

Islamic, or Sharia law - which is practised in northern Nigeria - allows for the death penalty.

Considering views

Justice Minister Akin Olujimi agrees that, given the divergent views Nigerians hold, the death penalty issue is a sensitive matter.

However he says all views will be taken into consideration before a decision is taken on the matter.

"Even if you have a strong opposition to abolition of death penalty, the only thing we expect you to do is to come forward and press your views," he said.

"We will listen to you, we will consider it. It is not as if anybody is going to take a decision without considering the views of the majority of Nigerians."

For now, the national debate continues.

At present, 487 people are awaiting execution in Nigerian prisons.

If they knew about the debate at all, they would surely be anxious about its outcome.