Prison congestion has remained a controversial issue in public discourse. For those not familiar with the facility, most of them are still in the condition the colonial masters left them. The change of name from Nigerian Prison Service (NPS) to Nigerian Correctional Service has not reflected in the quality of service they provide in the nation’s justice system.
With an initial capacity of 50,000 inmates, the facility nation wide currently house over 73,000 offenders.
Indeed, this overcrowding has led to a host of problems, including poor sanitation, lack of access to healthcare, a high rate of disease transmission and, inmates who come out after serving their time are worse in character than when they went in.
However, one of the most troubling issues is the large number of prisoners on death row. Recently, the Nigerian Correctional Service disclosed that no fewer than 3,298 inmates across the custodial centres in Nigeria are on death row. Its Public Relations Officer, Abubakar Umar, who disclosed this said death sentences were not always carried out immediately they were imposed.
He said there are often long periods of uncertainty for the convicted while their cases are being appealed at higher levels.
“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 of today, we have a total of 3,298 inmates on death row. They constitute about 4.5 per cent of the total number of inmates in our various custodial centres nationwide,” he disclosed.
No doubt, the death penalty is a contentious issue, with many arguments for and against its use.
In the considered opinion of this neespaper,regardless of one’s stance on the issue, it is clear that leaving prisoners on death row for extended periods of time is unacceptable.
In many cases, prisoners on death row are left there for years or even decades, with no end in sight. This is an injustice to those prisoners, their families, and society as a whole.
One of the main reasons for the backlog of death row cases is the reluctance of governors to sign death warrants. In Nigeria, death sentences must be confirmed by the state governor before they can be carried out. However, many governors are hesitant to sign these warrants, either due to moral objections to the death penalty or political considerations. This has led to a situation where prisoners on death row are left in limbo, with no clear timeline for their execution.
We recall that since the return of democratic government in 1999, only two governors have signed death warrants of the execution of death row inmates in the country.
It would also be recalled that the former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau was the first to have signed it in 2006, while the second was by Governor Adams Oshiomhole in October 2012.
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The former Kano state Governor reportedly endorsed the execution of seven inmates on a death row, who were all sentenced to death in the state, while Oshiomhole ratified the execution of two persons in Edo State.
While it is understandable that some governors may have moral objections to the death penalty, it is important to remember that the courts have already found these prisoners guilty and sentenced them to death.
In our view, by refusing to sign death warrants, governors are essentially overturning the decisions of the courts and undermining the rule of law. This is not only unfair to the prisoners on death row, but it also sends a disconcerting message that the justice system can be easily manipulated by those in power.
Furthermore, the overcrowding of prisons is a serious problem that must be addressed. Overcrowded prisons are breeding grounds for disease and violence, and can lead to a host of other problems. By reducing the number of prisoners on death row, governors can help to alleviate some of the congestion in the prison system. This, in turn, will improve conditions for all prisoners, not just those on death row.
It is important to note that reducing the number of prisoners on death row does not necessarily mean that the death penalty should be abolished altogether. Rather, it means that governors should act responsibly and expeditiously in signing death warrants for those prisoners who have been sentenced to death. This will help to ensure that justice is served in a timely and fair manner, and will help to alleviate some of the congestion in the prison system.
Consequently, the situation in Nigerian prisons is dire, with over 3,000 people on death row and severe overcrowding. The governors of each state must take action to sign death warrants for those prisoners who have been sentenced to death, and work towards decongesting the prison system as a whole. By doing so, they will help to ensure that justice is served, that the rule of law is upheld, and that the rights of prisoners are respected.
