The international community, including France and Australia, on Tuesday, called on the Federal Government to abolish the death penalty, saying it does not stop crime.
That advice came barely 24 hours after a Lagos High Court sentenced to death by hanging, a police officer, Drambi Vandi, for his involvement in killing a lawyer, Bolanle Raheem.
They said since the practice was outdated and did not stop crime, it was time for Nigeria to review the law.
The Charge D’ affairs, Australian High Commissioner in Nigeria, Lean Johnston; French Ambassador to Nigeria, Emmanuelle Blatmann and Country Director, Avocats Sans Frontières France (Lawyers Without Borders) Nigeria, Angela Uwandu Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, stated these in an interview with journalists during the screening of a movie titled, “Shepherds and Butchers”, hosted by ASF with support from the French Embassy and the Australian High Commission in Nigeria to mark the 2023 World Day Against Death Penalty.
the event, Uzoma-Iwuchukwu said that more than 3,000 Nigerians are on the death penalty.
Johnston, who recalled that Australia had abolished the death penalty in 1967, described capital punishment as state violence against its citizens.
She said, “To be honest, to us, it is inhuman, like a state violence against its citizens. So, we need to work with other governments to end this cruel treatment. The death penalty diminishes human dignity. When you take the life of someone else, whether it’s done as a criminal act or whether the state does it, it diminishes human dignity.
There is a huge evidence that the retention of the death penalty does not act as a deterrent for any form of crime. And traditionally, people have said an eye for an eye does not end the cycle of violence. And so, this is not an effective deterrent. Moreover, there is always the chance that people can be rehabilitated and contribute to society.”
Blatmann, on her part, called for an official moratorium on executions.
The French Envoy observed that France considered the death penalty unfair and inhuman, adding that it was also irreparable.
According to her, shedding the blood of another human being cannot repair the crime that has been committed.
Blatmann said, “I can’t speak for Nigeria, but I can speak for France. France considers the death penalty as something unfair, inhuman, and irreparable. Unfortunately, we all know that in the legal system throughout the world, miscarriages of justice can happen. So, we consider this as a fundamental human rights issue. And since this day was established 20 years ago, we call for the states who have not abolished the death penalty to adopt moratoriums so that this capital punishment is not used anymore.
“This is because by shedding the blood of another human being, we cannot repair whatever crime has been committed. Today, we have heard about a man who was innocent but spent nine years and a half in prison for a crime he hadn’t committed. That is why we lobby worldwide and at all international fora that we consider the death penalty a violation of human rights.”