Germany, Australia, ASF France Urge Nigeria to End Death Penalty, Commend Tinubu’s Clemency
Germany, Australia, and Avocats Sans Frontières (ASF) France — an international non-governmental organisation — have jointly called for decisive action toward abolishing the death penalty in Nigeria, PulseNets learnt.
While commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for commuting the death sentences of seven inmates to life imprisonment in his recent presidential pardon of 175 persons, the three partners urged Nigeria to take bolder steps toward full abolition.
PulseNets obtained that the call was made during the screening of the film “Just Mercy,” held in Abuja to commemorate the 2025 World Day Against the Death Penalty. The event was organised by ASF France, also known globally as Lawyers Without Borders France.
Germany Reiterates Commitment to Abolition
Speaking at the event, the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annett Günther, reaffirmed her country’s enduring opposition to capital punishment.
According to her, “the death penalty is not merely a legal matter — it strikes at the very heart of human dignity, justice, and the right to life.”
She noted that the irreversible nature of executions makes wrongful convictions impossible to correct.
“Germany abolished the death penalty over seven decades ago, and we remain steadfast in our global advocacy for its total eradication,” she told PulseNets.
Günther further urged the Nigerian government to take additional steps toward formally ending the practice, describing it as a necessary evolution in justice and human rights protection.
Australia Backs Nigeria’s Path Toward Reform
In a similar vein, Neil Sanderson, Chargé d’Affaires of the Australian High Commission, restated his country’s unyielding position on the issue.
“Australia’s stance is clear and consistent — we oppose the death penalty under all circumstances,” Sanderson told PulseNets. “It is a cruel, ineffective, and degrading punishment that diminishes human dignity.”
He added that there is a growing global shift against executions, noting that 144 countries have now abolished the death penalty in law or practice.
According to him, “Ghana, Zambia, Sierra Leone, the Central African Republic, and Zimbabwe have recently joined this historic movement. We welcome Nigeria’s ongoing constitutional discussions as a potential step toward full abolition.”
ASF France: “Justice Must Never Come at the Cost of Life”
Angela Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, Country Director of ASF France in Nigeria, described the World Day Against the Death Penalty as “a day for empathy, reflection, and renewed commitment to justice that values life.”
She told PulseNets that ASF France continues to support Nigerians facing the death penalty, providing legal aid and advocacy through a network of pro bono lawyers.
“So far, we’ve assisted more than 800 individuals across 10 Nigerian states, ensuring fair trials and humane treatment under the law,” she said.
Citing recent figures, Uzoma-Iwuchukwu disclosed that 26 African countries have abolished the death penalty, 14 retain it, while 15 are considered de facto abolitionists.
“This trend shows that Africa is steadily aligning with the global movement to end this irreversible punishment,” she added.
Over 3,500 Nigerians Still on Death Row
PulseNets obtained from the 2025 report of the Nigerian Correctional Service that more than 3,500 persons remain on death row, making Nigeria one of the countries with the largest death row populations in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Uzoma-Iwuchukwu said the figures demonstrate the urgency of continuous advocacy and reform.
“ASF France stands with every person and nation that believes in dignity over death,” she emphasised. “We call for a humane justice system and an official moratorium on executions as a crucial step toward abolition.”
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She also described President Tinubu’s recent commutation as “an encouraging gesture that signals Nigeria’s growing embrace of a more compassionate justice system.”
NHRC Reaffirms the Human Rights Imperative
The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Anthony Ojukwu, represented by the Deputy Director of Legal Services, Pwadumdi Okoh, noted that the question of the death penalty remains one of the most divisive human rights debates of our era.
He told PulseNets that
“human rights advocacy is everyone’s responsibility, and the fight for abolition is part of our collective struggle for justice and humanity.”
