No fewer than 37 prisoners are currently on death row in Bauchi State, awaiting execution after being convicted of capital crimes. The revelation was made by Mr. Ahmed Tata, Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Bauchi Command, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday.
Tata disclosed that the condemned prisoners consist of 36 men and one woman. He noted that no democratically elected governor in Bauchi State has signed a death warrant since 1999, although governors during military rule may have done so.
His comments come amid growing national discourse on why many Nigerian governors have refrained from authorizing executions, despite death sentences being passed by the courts.
Legal practitioner, Jubrin S. Jubrin, called on state governors to uphold the law by signing death warrants once all appeals have been exhausted. He acknowledged that cultural, regional, and legal advice from Attorneys General might influence such decisions.
“The governors have a duty to implement final court judgments. Where appeals have been exhausted, execution should follow unless the governor opts for pardon,” he said. “If they are not willing to execute, then why keep the inmates on death row?”
Garba Jinjiri, Chairman of the Network for Civil Society Organisations in Bauchi, cited the irreversibility of executions as a major reason behind governors’ hesitation.
“If new evidence emerges proving a wrongful conviction, the state cannot undo an execution. That’s a grave risk,” he said.
He also noted that many condemned prisoners still have pending appeals, and some governors might be personally opposed to capital punishment on moral or ethical grounds.
Dr. Muhammad Reza, a political analyst, argued that Nigeria’s democratic framework indirectly obstructs the enforcement of capital punishment, as the Constitution places the final decision on the governor or president.
He suggested that concerns over international human rights criticism and potential loss of donor support have discouraged governors from signing death warrants.
“What they fail to realise is that this reluctance has contributed to the rise in criminality. Justice must be proportional — a life for a life,” Reza asserted, calling for a review of the death penalty law in Nigeria.
Another legal expert, Hassan Muhammad, noted that Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution grants state governors the prerogative of mercy, which includes the power to pardon, commute, or approve death sentences.
However, he emphasized the moral and legal weight attached to such decisions, which often deters governors from signing. He added that systemic flaws in the Nigerian legal system — such as prolonged delays, weak investigations, and the risk of wrongful convictions — make executions highly controversial.
“Nigeria is a signatory to numerous international treaties. Executing someone who might later be found innocent could have grave consequences,” he said.
Yusuf Abubakar attributed the reluctance to a blend of religious, political, and cultural factors. He said both Christianity and Islam promote forgiveness, and governors often weigh public perception and backlash when considering such decisions.
“Signing a death warrant is politically sensitive. Governors risk criticism from religious groups, civil society, and even political rivals,” he noted.
Abubakar said the result is a de facto moratorium on executions, even though capital punishment remains legal in Nigeria. “This leaves condemned inmates in legal and psychological limbo, with no clear resolution in sight.”
While capital punishment is still legal in Nigeria, the unwillingness of state governors — including those in Bauchi — to sign death warrants has led to a silent moratorium. Legal experts, civil society leaders, and political analysts continue to debate whether the focus should be on reforming the justice system, abolishing the death penalty, or enforcing existing laws to ensure justice and deterrence.
