By Wilson Adekumola
The Nigerian Correctional Service, has disclosed that there were about 3,298 inmates on death row across the correctional facilities in Nigeria.
The Public Relations Officer of NCoS, Mr Abubakar Umar, made this known while speaking with journalists on Wednesday in Abuja.
He stated, however, that the term ‘condemned criminal’ had been abolished.
He explained that the emergence of the NCoS Act 2019 which made the prisons correctional centres, the term ‘condemned criminal’ was nullified as it is stigmatising.
While stressing that the NCoS preferred to use a more friendly term of ‘Inmates on Death Row’, Umar noted that death sentences were not always executed immediately they were promulgated.
“There are often long periods of uncertainty for the convicted while their cases are being appealed at higher levels.
“Inmates awaiting execution live on what we call death row; some offenders have been executed more than 15 years after their convictions.
“They were basically awaiting the hangman’s noose in our custodial centres after being found guilty of capital offences.
“We have quite a number of them; as at today, we have a total of 3,298 inmates on death row. They constitute about 4.5 per cent of the total of number inmates in our various custodial centres nationwide,” he disclosed.
Umar also disclosed that some IDRs had been in custody for many years, noting that some had been there since they were arrested up to when they were tried and sentenced.
He noted that many of them committed capital offences like culpable homicide, armed robbery, terrorism, among others.
“The good thing is that we engage all of them in activities that will reform and modify their behaviours.
“The goal is to make them better citizens of the nation.
“We also make them undergo personal development programmes like anger management, civic education as well as entrepreneurship.
“Some of them, who do well and show some glimpse of hard work, industry and discipline, are recommended for clemency to the relevant authorities,” he said.
The spokesman said the activities of the rights group have prevented government from signing the warrants of these offenders noting that many IDRs had been executed in the past before the proliferation of rights activists.
“Currently, there is somewhat a kind of moratorium on execution of offenders.
“Before the moratorium on execution of IDRs became widespread, executions of IDRs were being carried out as and at when due.
“But with the rising activities of human rights groups, many governments shy away from signing the death warrants of these offenders.
“Though it is still in practice, it is not common as it used to be. The last execution of IDRs was carried out in 2016 in Edo.
“We encourage state governors, who shy away from signing the death warrants, to commute them into other sanctions.
“This will ensure that the toga of death is removed from them. It will also help us to properly manage them smoothly,” he said.
