The Executive Director of Hope Behind Bars Africa (HBBA), Ms. Oluwafunke Adeoye, has called for the abolition of the death penalty in Nigeria, describing it as a harmful and ineffective form of punishment that fails to deter crime and undermines human rights.
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, August 5, 2025 in Abuja, Adeoye criticized capital punishment as a practice that worsens the flaws in the Nigerian justice system and disproportionately affects the most vulnerable, including the poor, mentally ill, and marginalized communities.
“At Hope Behind Bars Africa, we are strongly against the use of the death penalty. It is irreversible, and in a system marked by flaws and human rights violations, the risk of executing an innocent person is unacceptably high,” Adeoye stated.
A member of the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty (WCADP), the organization actively campaigns for abolition while offering legal representation to those facing execution. Adeoye said HBBA also engages in strategic litigation and pushes for broad criminal justice reforms.
She drew attention to the psychological trauma faced by inmates held on death row for years, describing the prolonged wait for execution as a form of “cruel and dehumanising” mental torture.
“Death row inmates face unimaginable emotional stress. Some remain in limbo for decades, not knowing if or when they’ll be executed. That level of uncertainty is cruel and dehumanising,” she said.
Challenging the widely held belief that capital punishment deters serious crimes such as murder and terrorism, Adeoye argued that there is no reliable evidence proving its effectiveness as a deterrent.
“Studies consistently show that it has no deterrent effect. Instead, it perpetuates cycles of violence and denies people the opportunity for rehabilitation. Justice should be about fairness and transformation, not revenge,” she added.
She also raised concerns about systemic issues within the Nigerian justice system, such as wrongful convictions, flawed investigations, and lack of proper legal defence, that make the application of an irreversible punishment especially dangerous.
“Our justice system is riddled with delays, corruption, and discrimination. In this context, hanging or lethally injecting someone amounts to state-sanctioned cruelty. Beyond the act of execution, the secrecy and inhumanity surrounding the process are deeply troubling,” she stated.
As the founder of HBBA, Adeoye advocated for sweeping sentencing reforms in Nigeria, emphasizing the need for restorative justice and non-custodial alternatives such as community service and reformation programs.
“Such reforms will ease prison overcrowding, reduce reoffending, and reshape the public perception of justice as a tool for restoration, not just punishment,” she noted.
Adeoye also urged the Nigerian government to align its policies with international human rights commitments, referencing treaties like the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
“These treaties promote the right to life and prohibit inhuman punishment. Our domestic policies should reflect these commitments,” she said. “Aligning national law with global standards will strengthen the rule of law, protect vulnerable citizens, and enhance Nigeria’s international reputation.”
Hope Behind Bars Africa is a human rights organization focused on criminal justice reform through legal aid, advocacy, and technology.
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