NIGERIA: LAGOS URGES REVIEW OF DEATH PENALTY

July 10, 2013: The Lagos State government joined calls for a rethink of death penalty in Nigeria’s constitution, urging rather the setting up of an investigative committee on death sentence to determine whether or not it has served as appropriate deterrent to criminals.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ade Ipaye, disclosed the state’s position at the monthly ministerial briefing in Alausa, Ikeja, stating that the committee should also consider whether there was an increase or otherwise in cases of armed robbery incidents between the lag period in the execution of convicts on death row.
According to him, the result of the investigation will help Nigerians take a stance on the issue. And reacting to governors’ hesitation to sign the execution warrant and the President’s advice to do so, Ipaye noted that death penalty remains part of the country’s laws.
However, he argued that governors have the right to discretion to either grant amnesty to convicts or allow them to explore their constitutional rights of appeal. (Sources: ngrguardiannews.com, 11/07/2013)