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, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: SINGER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR BLASPHEMY IN KANO STATE
A musician in Nigeria's northern state of Kano on 10 August 2020 was sentenced to death by hanging for blaspheming against the Prophet Muhammad.
JULY 29, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER MURDER OF ENUGU LAWYER
Two suspected masterminds in the murder of former Executive Secretary of Enugu State Committee on Adada state creation, Mr Ejimofor Ozongwu, were sentenced to death on 27 July 2020 by an Enugu State High Court.
JULY 25, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING FOR KILLING NEWBORN BABY IN ADAMAWA
The Appeal Court in Yola, Adamawa State, on 22 July 2020 upheld the death sentence of a man for killing his newborn baby boy.
JULY 22, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ARMED ROBBERY
A Delta State High Court sitting in Asaba has sentenced one Amechi Stanley Chidokwe to death by hanging for armed robbery, The Sun reported on 22 July 2020.
JULY 9, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: 37-YEAR-OLD SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR BEHEADING MAN FOR RITUAL
An Osun State High Court sitting in Ile-Ife on 7 July 2020 sentenced a 37-year-old man, Ogunyemi Oluleke, to death by hanging for murder.
- JULY 8, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ARMED ROBBERY
An Abeokuta High Court in Ogun State on 7 July 2020 sentenced one Lukeman Kuti to death by hanging for armed robbery.
JULY 2, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: TWO ROBBERS TO DIE FOR KILLING KWARA COUPLE
A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin on 1st July 2020 sentenced two armed robbers to death by hanging for killing a couple, Mr Michael and Mrs Juana Aigbe, at the Fate area of Ilorin in 2016.
JUNE 26, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: WOMEN RECOMMEND DEATH PENALTY FOR RAPISTS IN NIGER STATE
The Nigerian League of Women Voters in Niger State on 25 June 2020 called on the state government to come up with a law that will provide death penalty for rapists.
JUNE 10, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: APPEAL COURT DISMISSES APPEAL OF MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar, Cross River state, has dismissed the appeal filed by Stephen Anona, 37, who was sentenced to death by hanging for murder, The Nation reported on 9 June 2020.
JUNE 9, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: THREE TO DIE FOR KIDNAPPING, MURDER OF CONSULTANT, LG CHIEF IN RIVERS
A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, presided over by Justice J. Kolawole Omotosho, on 3 June 2020 convicted five persons for murder, kidnapping and possession of illegal fire arms, with three of the suspects sentenced to death by
- JUNE 8, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: COURT SENTENCES THREE TO DEATH BY HANGING FOR MURDER OF EX-NIGER DELTA AGITATOR
Three persons, Dougbra Ogbe, Emmanuel Gladstone, Bere Matthew, have been sentenced to death by hanging by a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt for the murder of ex-Niger Delta agitator, Soboma George and a groundnut seller, Joy John-Ejims, T
- JUNE 8, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPING KADUNA TWO-YEAR-OLD TO DEATH
A Kaduna State High Court sitting in Dogarawa Sabon Gari in Zaria, on 3 June 2020 sentenced one Usman Shehu Bashir to death by hanging for raping a two-year-old girl to death.
JUNE 1, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: BADEH'S AIDES MAY FACE DEATH PENALTY
Six Nigerian Air Force personnel detailed to provide security for the late Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, may face the death penalty following the guilty verdict pronounced on them by the General Court Martial (GCM) constitute
JUNE 1, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR KILLING OWN FATHER
An Ikeja Special Offences Court on 1st June 2020 sentenced Rasak Abiona to death for beating his 62-year-old father to death with a metal rod during a dispute over property in Lagos.
- MAY 31, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: PASTOR SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING FOR COMMITTING MURDER IN ONDO
Samson Kolawole, a pastor with a Pentecostal church in Ondo State, on 29 May 2020 was sentenced to death for committing murder.
MAY 14, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: TWO TO DIE BY HANGING FOR RITUAL KILLING IN RIVERS
A High Court in Port Harcourt has sentenced a second-year student of Physics department, University of Port Harcourt, Ifeanyi Dike and one Ugochukwu Nwamiro to death by hanging over the murder of an eight-year-old girl, Victory Chikamso Nmezuwuba, Biorepo
- MAY 12, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: FOUR PERSONS TO DIE BY HANGING FOR KILLING PENSIONER IN EKITI
An Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti on 11 May 2020 sentenced two men and two women to death by hanging after finding them guilty of murder.
- MAY 5, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: COURT SENTENCES DRIVER TO DEATH VIA VIDEO CALL FOR KILLING HIS BOSS’ MOM
An Ikeja High Court in Lagos State has sentenced a driver identified as Olalekan Hameed to death via an online sitting, Dockaysworld.com.ng reported on 4 May 2020.
- APRIL 6, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: TWO TO DIE BY HANGING IN OSUN FOR KILLING STUDENT
An Osun State High Court sitting in Ikirun on 2nd April 2020 sentenced two men Elijah Oyebode and Jelili Raji to death by hanging for the murder of a female student of University of Osun.
MARCH 25, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: SIX DEATH SENTENCES FOR MURDER IN EKITI
An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti has sentenced six persons to death for murder and attempted murder, Daily Post reported on 24 March 2020.
MARCH 19, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR STEALING TWO PHONES, WRISTWATCHES
A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on 18 March 2020 sentenced one Muritala Salami to death for armed robbery.
- MARCH 17, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: OSUN ASSEMBLY PASSES DEATH PENALTY FOR KIDNAPPERS
The Osun House of Assembly on 10 March 2020 passed a bill seeking death sentence for convicted kidnappers in the state.
MARCH 16, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: COURT SENTENCES MAN TO DEATH BY HANGING FOR MURDER
An FCT High Court sitting in Nyanya, Nasarawa State, on 11 March 2020 sentenced Mohammed Tijani to death by hanging for killing a man who was fighting another in front of his barbershop.
- MARCH 9, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING FOR KILLING NEIGHBOR DURING POLITICAL ARGUMENT
A High Court sitting in Kano State on 6 March 2020 sentenced one Yakubu Dalha to death by hanging for killing neighbour, Zakariyau Bala a.k.a Dangote during political argument.
- MARCH 3, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING FOR PHONE THEFT IN EKITI
A high court in Ado Ekiti on 28 February 2020 sentenced a middle-aged man named Isa Abdulkareem, to death by hanging for armed robbery.
- FEBRUARY 25, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: WIFE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING HUSBAND IN KANO
A Kano State High Court on 21 February 2020 sentenced one Rashida Saidu to death by hanging for killing her husband, Adamu Ali.
FEBRUARY 21, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: COURT SENTENCES LAGOS PRINCE TO DEATH FOR MURDER
Justice Raliatu Adebiyi of an Ikeja High Court on 16 December 2019 sentenced to death, Prince Adewale Oyekan, the son of the late Oba of Lagos, Oba Adeyinka Oyekan, for the murder of Alhaja Sikirat Ekun, a 62-year-old businesswoman and a member of the Peo
FEBRUARY 18, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: 7 ARMED ROBBERS SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING IN KWARA STATE
Seven armed robbers have been sentenced to death by hanging by a Kwara State High Court, sitting in Ilorin, Lawyard reported on 14 February 2020.
FEBRUARY 13, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: GOMBE GOVERNOR PARDONS 31 PRISONERS
Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, on 12 February 2020 pardoned 31 prisoners and commuted the death penalty passed on one other convict to 21-year imprisonment.
- FEBRUARY 12, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING FOR STEALING IPHONE 6
An Ogun State High Court sitting at Isabo, Abeokuta, on 11 February 2020 sentenced a man identified as Olumide Adekanbi to death by hanging for armed robbery committed at Saraki-Adigbe area of Abeokuta in 2016.