Nigeria
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · The death penalty is provided for by the Criminal Code...
- News items in the archive
- 1,104
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Nigeria is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 1,104 news items on Nigeria, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
JANUARY 22, 2024NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KIDNAPPING, KILLING CHIEF OGBOBULA IN RIVERS
A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on January 18, 2024 sentenced to death three men on charges of kidnapping and murder.
JANUARY 12, 2024NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: COURT SENTENCES MAN TO DEATH BY HANGING FOR MURDER
A Niger state High Court has convicted and sentenced to death by hanging a man, Tunde Tayo, for the murder of Abdullahi Janiya Yahaya in Maitumbi area of Minna, Niger state in 2019.
DECEMBER 30, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: GOV. SANWO-OLU OF LAGOS STATE RELEASES 246 INMATES, COMMUTES 39 DEATH SENTENCE TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has approved the release of 246 inmates from various correctional facilities across the state.
DECEMBER 26, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: COURT SENTENCES MAN TO DEATH BY HANGING FOR SETTING HIS MOTHER ABLAZE IN NIGER STATE
The Minna High Court presided over by the Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, on December 13, 2023 sentenced Stephen Jiya to death by hanging for setting his biological mother ablaze which resulted in her death.
DECEMBER 11, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN ZAMFARA FOR KILLING FRIEND OVER N100
A Zamfara State High Court on December 7, 2023 sentenced one Anas Dahiru to death by hanging for killing his friend.
DECEMBER 10, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: FOUR SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER MOTORCYCLE THEFT IN EKITI
Four persons, Segun Friday, Tijani Semiu Seun, Ogunyemi Segun Olarewaju, and Adebayo Tope, found guilty of stealing a motorcycle have been sentenced to death by the Ekiti State High Court, sitting in Ado-Ekiti, Tori.ng reported on Devember 7, 2023.
- NOVEMBER 29, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN ONDO STATE FOR HACKING BRICKLAYER TO DEATH
A middle-aged man, Joseph Abayomi, was sentenced to death on November 27, 2023 in Ondo State for hacking his neighbor, Thomas Oluwole, to death.
NOVEMBER 29, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: NCOS BLAMES GOVERNORS FOR 5,000 INMATES AWAITING HANGMAN’S NOOSE FOR DECADES
At an Access to Justice in Nigeria parley, the Nigeria Correctional Service on November 7, 2023 raised issues over 5,000 inmates who have been sentenced to death by hanging but have waited for decades without their sentences being carried out.
NOVEMBER 27, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: COURT SENTENCES MAN TO DEATH FOR KILLING SEVEN DSS OFFICERS IN 2015
An Ikeja high court on November 21, 2023 sentenced two men over the death of seven officers of the Department of State Services (DSS).
NOVEMBER 9, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: COURT SENTENCES FIVE MEN TO DEATH BY HANGING
The Benue State High Court in Makurdi, on November 8, 2023 sentenced five men to death by hanging for culpable homicide.
- NOVEMBER 5, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: FATHER OF 7 SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING FOR KIDNAPPING IN AKWA IBOM
One Pius Udo Ben, a father of seven from Ikot Use Ekong in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, has been sentenced to death for kidnapping a four year old boy who has not been found till date, Daily Post reported on November 1st 2023.
OCTOBER 16, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: OVER 3,000 PRISONERS ON DEATH ROW AMID CALLS TO ABOLISH CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
Members of the international community on October 10, 2023 urged again Nigeria to abolish the death penalty.
OCTOBER 9, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: POLICE OFFICER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SHOOTING LAWYER DEAD
A Nigerian court on October 9, 2023 sentenced to death a police officer convicted of shooting dead a pregnant female lawyer on Christmas Day in 2022.
- OCTOBER 5, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: COURT SENTENCES TWO BROTHERS TO DEATH FOR MURDER IN AKWA IBOM
Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Essien Udim has sentenced two brothers to death for killing a farmer over a parcel of land, Daily Post reported on October 4, 2023.
AUGUST 9, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: COURT SENTENCES MAN TO DEATH FOR KILLING NEIGHBOUR IN KWARA
Justice S. M. Akanbi of the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin on July 31, 2023 sentenced one Mohammed Kazeem Beiwa to death for the murder of his neighbour identified as Olokose Ojo Olushola in Ilorin a few days before his wedding in 2021.
- JULY 17, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: BOYFRIEND, PASTOR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR THE MURDER OF LASU STUDENT
An Osun State High Court, sitting in Ikire, on July 17, 2023 sentenced a Pastor, Philip Segun, 42-year-old and Owolabi Adeeko, 23-year-old to death for the murder of one Favour Daley Oladele.
JULY 5, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: DELTA MONARCH PROPOSES DEATH PENALTY FOR CORRUPT PUBLIC OFFICERS
The Dein of Agbor Kingdom in Delta State, Benjamin Keagborekuzi, on July 4, 2023 proposed the death penalty for any public officer in Nigeria, found guilty of embezzling and diverting public funds.
JUNE 26, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: ONDO COURT SENTENCES 78-YEAR-OLD TO DEATH FOR KILLING PROPRIETOR
A 78-year-old man, Ojo Komolafe, has been sentenced to death by an Ondo state High Court for killing a school proprietor, Taofik Babalola, Punch reported on June 23, 2023.
JUNE 15, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: RIVERS STATE COURT SENTENCES TWO TO DEATH FOR KIDNAPPING, MURDER
Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt on June 15, 2023 convicted and sentenced two middle-aged men to death by hanging for kidnapping and killing a prominent Rivers State businessman, Festus Mac-Pepple and one Friday Uranta in 2008.
JUNE 8, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: PASTOR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING IMPREGNATED CHOIR MISTRESS, TWO OTHERS
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt on June 5, 2023 sentenced a pastor, Chidiebere Okoroafor, to death by hanging for murder.
JUNE 6, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: ADEDOYIN, TWO WORKERS GET DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER
An Osun State High Court on May 30, 2023 sentenced popular hotel owner Ramon Adedoyin and two others to death in the murder case of Timothy Adegoke, an ex-Master’s student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
MAY 31, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: OGUN STATE GOVERNOR ABIODUN SWORN-IN FOR SECOND TERM, PARDONS 49 PRISON INMATES, 3 ON DEATH ROW
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, was on TMay 30, 2023, sworn in for second term, announcing state pardon for 49 inmates from different correctional facilities in the state.
MAY 17, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: THREE MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ARMED ROBBERY IN EKITI
The Ekiti State High Court, Ado Ekiti, on May 15, 2023 sentenced three men to death by hanging for conspiracy and armed robbery in the state.
MAY 2, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: COURT SENTENCES FOUR MEN TO DEATH BY HANGING IN JIGAWA
A Jigawa State High Court sitting in Ringim on April 28, 2023 sentenced four men to death by hanging for murder.
- APRIL 20, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: 3298 INMATES ON DEATH ROW - GOVERNORS HESITANT TO SIGN DEATH WARRANTS (NCOS)
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) says 3,298 inmates across custodial centres in Nigeria are on death row.
- APRIL 5, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING IN JIGAWA
Three men have been handed a death sentence by a Jigawa State High Court, No. 8 sitting in Kaugama Local Government Area on March 31, 2023, for armed robbery and murder.
- APRIL 3, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: COURT SENTENCES TWO MEN TO DEATH FOR KILLING TRICYCLE RIDER
A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Kubwa on March 31, 2023 sentenced two men, Yahuza Isah and Auwalu Mohammed, to death by hanging for killing a tricycle rider.
MARCH 30, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: DOMESTIC STAFF SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING GRANDMA, DAUGHTER
A domestic staff, Joseph Ogbu, was sentenced to death by hanging on 27 March 2023 for killing his employer, an 89-year-old grandmother, Ajoke, and her daughter, Oreoluwa, in their home in Lagos.
MARCH 26, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: FOUR MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING IN LAGOS
A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on 23 March 2023 sentenced four men to death by hanging for armed robbery and kidnapping of Mrs Gloria Emole.
MARCH 20, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: 122 MALE, THREE FEMALE INMATES ON DEATH ROW IN GOMBE, BAUCHI
The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) says it has at least 125 inmates on death row in its facilities in Gombe and Bauchi states.