AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AND CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS CALL ON STATE GOVERNMENTS TO REFRAIN FROM EXTENDING SCOPE OF DEATH PENALTY

Amnesty International, the Nigerian Bar Association Human Rights Institute (NBAHRI) and Nigerian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) called on Nigeria's state governments to refrain from extending the scope of the death penalty to include crimes such as kidnapping. The organisations are deeply concerned by the expressed intention of Anambra, Enugu and Rivers state governments to extend the scope of the death penalty to make kidnapping a capital offence; and by the legislative amendments in Abia state which provide for kidnapping as a capital offence. We call on these, and all other state governments that may be considering similar actions, to observe international and national standards and trends towards limiting the number of offences for which the death penalty may be imposed, and abolishing the death penalty for all crimes.