The Hope Behind Bars Africa (HBBA) a Non-Governmental Organisation says the proposed death penalty for offenders will not solve the underlying issues related to drug crime.
The Executive Director, Olufunke Adeoye, made this known while addressing newsmen in commemoration of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on Wednesday in Abuja.
World Drug Day is celebrated every June 26 globally and the year 2024 theme is: “Evidence is clear; invest in prevention.”
Olufunke said that the proposal would only divert attention and resources from more effective strategies such as harm reduction and rehabilitation.
She said that several comprehensive studies and reports highlighted the lack of a significant deterrent effect associated with the death penalty for drug trafficking.
She also said that amnesty International analysis pointed out that countries with high execution rates for drug offences, such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, still faced serious drug problems.
She added that a review of data from Southeast Asia, including countries like Singapore and Indonesia, shows that the death penalty has not led to a substantial reduction in drug trafficking.
According to her, Nigeria has been a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) since 1993.
“Article 6 of the treaty states that “in countries which have not abolished the death penalty, sentence of death may be imposed only for the most serious crimes in accordance with the law in force at the time of the commission of the crime.
“This is typically defined as those involving intentional killing of which drug offenses do not meet the threshold.
“Furthermore, at the Universal Periodic Review, the Nigerian government represented by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Lateef Fagbemi SAN had informed the United Nations and the world on the January 23, 2024 that Nigeria has a voluntary moratorium on the death penalty.
“The proposal to include death sentences for drug offenses contradicts the position presented by the Nigerian government during the just concluded Universal Periodic Review (UPR),” he said.
Adeoye said that the death penalty inherently carried the risk of irreversible errors adding that In any judicial system, the possibility of wrongful convictions posed a serious threat to justice.
She, however, said that this risk was significantly magnified in systems facing substantial challenges, such as Nigeria, which the National Assembly has been actively addressing in recent times.
According to her, death penalty perpetuates a cycle of violence and undermines the value of human life. There is a global trend towards abolition of the death penalty especially for non-violent crime.
“Part of the rationale for this is that scientific evidence and modern criminology suggests that addressing the root causes of crime, such as poverty, lack of education, and social inequality, rather than relying on severe punitive measures are the true deterrent factors.
“There is also a growing emphasis on rehabilitation and restorative justice rather than retribution.
“This approach aligns better with our constitutionally guaranteed human rights principles and aims to reduce recidivism.
“Nigeria through some of its recent legislations such as the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019 and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 has also shown a move from retribution to restorative justice,” she said.
Adeoye maintained that by imposing the death penalty for drug offences, Nigeria would be moving against the global tide and its recent progressive strides.
This, she said would be by aligning itself with a shrinking minority of 34 countries that maintained such harsh penalties for drug-related crimes and the 3rd African country to do so.
The Senate on May 10 approved the death penalty for drug offenders found guilty of drug offences.
The lawmaker proposed a death Sentence for anyone found guilty to serve as a deterrent to drug offenders.
NAN
