Ngozi Okpalakunne
A new documentary has called for a justice system rooted in fairness, rehabilitation, and the protection of human dignity rather than retribution in Nigeria.
The film which titled, : “Justice Reimagined: Voices of Loss” was launched in Lagos by The Inclusion Project Nigeria (TIP), group of lawyers that work in the area of access to justice and good governance to mark the 23rd World Day against the Use of the Death Penalty with the theme, “Death Penalty protects no one”.
While speaking at the event, Director, The Inclusion Project Nigeria, Pamela Okoroigwe affirmed that the documentary was necessary as it amplifies the voices and experiences of victims of capital offences, offering a rare and powerful perspective on the use of the death penalty in Nigeria.
According to Okoroigwe, the film also exposes the human impact of the justice system and challenges the long-held belief that imposing death sentences deters violent crimes.
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On the contrary, she said it revealed that such punishment has not reduced violent offences but instead heightened the risk of wrongful convictions and the irreversible tragedy of executing innocent persons.
‘’It is our hope that this documentary will serve as a tool for education for Nigerians on the use of the death penalty and a call to action to the Nigerian Government to put a stop to the application of the death penalty in Nigeria.
“For too long, the death penalty has been defended on behalf of victims without actually asking what victims want. This documentary makes it clear that many victims in Nigeria are rejecting the death penalty not out of sympathy for offenders, but because they understand that killing in response to killing does not deliver justice it only deepens injustice.
“The documentary further serves as a call to action for the Nigerian Government and the wider public to re-examine Nigeria’s continued retention of the death penalty.
“It urges the government to prioritise reforms that strengthen the justice system, ensure fair trials, and invest in crime prevention strategies that address the root causes of violence.”
However, she stressed the need for the Nigerian government to declare an official moratorium on all executions nationwide; commute all existing death sentences to life imprisonment or fixed terms of years and amend all relevant criminal laws to remove the death penalty as a form of punishment and remember it with life imprisonment.
Highlight of the event was a panel discussion on the need for Nigerian government to abolish death sentence.
Participants at the panel stressed the need for continuous advocacy on the elimination of death penalty from the Nigerian criminal justice.
To them victims should be centered on justice reform efforts, ensuring that their genuine needs are addressed through restorative and humane approaches rather than the death penalty.
