A new study by Hope Behind Bars Africa, in partnership with the National Human Rights Commission, has cast a critical light on the experiences of women facing capital punishment in Nigeria. Presented at a key stakeholder meeting in Abuja, the research revealed a deeply concerning statistic: a staggering 70 per cent of women currently on death row are mothers. This finding has raised significant alarm about the profound and often overlooked inter-generational consequences of their incarceration. The study highlights that many of these women have been forced to leave their children in highly unstable and vulnerable care arrangements, leading to a cascade of negative effects, including disrupted education, significant psychological trauma, and insecure living conditions.
The research also provides crucial context, identifying a strong and undeniable link between the women’s economic vulnerability and their entanglement with the criminal justice system. The report indicates that a majority of those surveyed previously worked in low-income sectors, such as trading and farming. This suggests that financial hardship is a key driver leading to their crimes. In a further disturbing revelation, the study found that over one-third of the women had a history of experiencing gender-based violence, including domestic abuse and child marriage. In many cases, this violence was found to be a direct contributing factor to the crimes for which they were convicted and sentenced to death.
Another critical finding of the report points to a pervasive lack of legal awareness among the women. An overwhelming 75 per cent admitted they were completely ignorant of the specific laws under which they had been charged, highlighting a major failure in legal and public education. Furthermore, over half the women expressed a lack of confidence in the judicial process, believing their trials were conducted without adequate transparency.
In light of these sobering findings, the study puts forth several urgent policy recommendations. The report’s authors are strongly advocating for an immediate moratorium on all executions, gender-sensitive reforms within the legal system, and a significant expansion of access to free legal aid for vulnerable individuals. Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, Dr Tony Ojukwu, reiterated the commission’s long-standing opposition to the death penalty. He described it as a punishment that is both ineffective as a deterrent and fundamentally incompatible with a rights-based approach to justice. The findings and subsequent recommendations serve as a powerful call to action for comprehensive reform.
