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
- SEPTEMBER 5, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
A sharia appeals court in Nigeria ordered a man sentenced...
A sharia appeals court in Nigeria ordered a man sentenced to death by stoning for raping a nine-year-old girl to appear at a hearing later in September, defence lawyers said
- SEPTEMBER 4, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
The International Federation of Human Rights Leagues...
The International Federation of Human Rights Leagues (FIDH) sent a delegation to evaluate the application of Islamic Sharia law and its human rights implications in northern Nigeria, sources close to the Federation said in Paris
- SEPTEMBER 3, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
The Tanzania Gender Net-working Programme (TGNP) and...
The Tanzania Gender Net-working Programme (TGNP) and Feminist Activism Coalition (FemAct) urged Tanzania to boycott the forthcoming Miss World beauty pageant to be held in Nigeria in protest of against country's death penalty by stoning for women convicte
- SEPTEMBER 2, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Prime Minister John Howard described the death sentence...
Prime Minister John Howard described the death sentence by stoning given to Amina Lawal in Nigeria for having a child out of wedlock, as sickening and said he would relay his feelings to the country's president
- SEPTEMBER 2, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Usman Umaru, father of Fatimah Usman, a woman sentenced...
Usman Umaru, father of Fatimah Usman, a woman sentenced to death by stoning along with her lover for adultery, accused the trial Judge of demanding and receiving 8,900 Naira (about $71) bribe from him
- AUGUST 29, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
A member of Moham-med's family, a 50 year old condemned...
A member of Moham-med's family, a 50 year old condemned to death by stoning for raping a nine year old girl, informed the News Agency of Nigeria that the convict had had a psychiatric problem for the past 15 years
- AUGUST 29, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Dr
Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Dr
- AUGUST 28, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Turkish Justice Minister Aysel Celikel sent a letter...
Turkish Justice Minister Aysel Celikel sent a letter to the Nigerian the Justice Minister, Musa Elayo Abdullahi and the chief prosecutor urging them to exert efforts to stop the execution of Amina Lawal Kurami by stoning
- AUGUST 28, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Turkish Justice Minister Aysel Celikel sent a letter...
Turkish Justice Minister Aysel Celikel sent a letter to the Nigerian the Justice Minister, Musa Elayo Abdullahi and the chief prosecutor urging them to exert efforts to stop the execution of Amina Lawal Kurami by stoning
- AUGUST 28, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
The Canadian government, accused by critics of ignoring...
The Canadian government, accused by critics of ignoring the case of Amina Lawal Kurami, a Nigerian woman sentenced to death for bearing a child out of wedlock, said it had already protested twice
- AUGUST 28, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
The National President of the Alumni Association of...
The National President of the Alumni Association of Nigeria, Dr Oke Ewuru recommended capital punishment as penalty for whoever is found guilty of involvement in cultism on University campuses across the country
- AUGUST 27, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)...
The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) appealed to the Nigerian government to honour its moral and legal obligations to protect the rights and lives of all its citizens - starting with Amina Lawal, a woman sentenced to death by stoning fol
- AUGUST 27, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Local authorities said that Sarimu Mohammed, 50, convicted...
Local authorities said that Sarimu Mohammed, 50, convicted by a sharia court in northern Nigeria for raping a nine-year old girl will be stoned to death after he made no attempt to appeal the sentence
- AUGUST 26, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
A High Court judge sentenced Chinedu Uzoma for murdering...
A High Court judge sentenced Chinedu Uzoma for murdering a government official with a cutlass
- AUGUST 26, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
President Olusegun Obasanjo expressed sympathy for...
President Olusegun Obasanjo expressed sympathy for Amina Lawal, the single mother condemned to death by stoning, but made no firm offer to help her escape the sentence
- AUGUST 26, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
A notice of appeal on behalf of Malama Amina Lawan...
A notice of appeal on behalf of Malama Amina Lawan was filed at the Sharia Court of Appeal by her lead counsel, Barrister A
- AUGUST 26, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
An Upper Sharia Court in Niger State condemned to death...
An Upper Sharia Court in Niger State condemned to death two lovers for adultery
- AUGUST 24, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Malawi President Bakili Muluzi has urged the Nigerian...
Malawi President Bakili Muluzi has urged the Nigerian government to pardon Amina Lawal Kurami, a woman sentenced to death by stoning having a child outside of wedlock
- AUGUST 22, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said his...
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said his country would be outraged if a Nigerian woman was stoned to death as sentenced by a Sharia court
- AUGUST 21, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
The New Zealand National Party called on the Government...
The New Zealand National Party called on the Government to cut $50,000 foreign aid to Nigeria, after the death sentence was handed out to Amina Lawal Kurami for having a child outside marriage
- AUGUST 21, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
An unmarried pregnant Nigerian woman, desperate not...
An unmarried pregnant Nigerian woman, desperate not to go home after a court ruling that a women is to face death by stoning for having a child out of wedlock, won temporary refuge in Cyprus, officials said
- AUGUST 21, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
The All African Global media reported that various...
The All African Global media reported that various rights groups in Nigeria had mobilised in defence of Amina Lawal Kurami, sentenced to death for having sex outside of marriage
- AUGUST 20, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
In a statement regarding the sentencing to death by...
In a statement regarding the sentencing to death by stoning for adultery of Amina Lawal Kurami, executive director of the Women's Rights Division of Human Rights Watch, LaShawn R Jefferson said: "The legal system is being used to punish adult women for co
- AUGUST 20, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
The European Commission, the executive arm of the European...
The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union (EU), said it was concerned over a Nigerian court ruling that a 31-year-old woman, Amina Lawal Kurami must face death by stoning for having a child out of wedlock
- AUGUST 19, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Britain expressed concern to the Nigerian government...
Britain expressed concern to the Nigerian government over the Appeal Court ruling upholding the death sentence by stoning passed on Amina Lawal Kurami, a woman convicted of adultery under the country's Sharia law
- AUGUST 19, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Amina Lawal Kurami, a single mother of 30, had her...
Amina Lawal Kurami, a single mother of 30, had her appeal rejected by an Islamic high court in northern Nigeria and thus came one step closer to being stoned to death for having sex out of wedlock
- AUGUST 12, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Nigeria warned Miss World contestants to steer clear...
Nigeria warned Miss World contestants to steer clear of parts of the country practising sharia law during the pageant's finals in the capital, Abuja, in November
- AUGUST 6, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Nigerians Johnson Oshodi, Tunde Apatira, Oladotun Lukmanu...
Nigerians Johnson Oshodi, Tunde Apatira, Oladotun Lukmanu Umaru and a Chinese national from Hong Kong, Chu Tak Fai, appealed to the Malaysia Federal Court for a revision of their death sentences following a decision by the Court of Appeal acquitting mecha
- JULY 24, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Many prisoners are languishing on death row in Nigeria's...
Many prisoners are languishing on death row in Nigeria's various prisons due to the failure of some state governors to endorse their execution warrants
- JULY 16, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Rapists may face the death penalty in Nigeria under...
Rapists may face the death penalty in Nigeria under a new law to enhance children's rights, according to Women Affairs and Youth Development Minister Aisha Isma'il