Former Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has lamented that governors don't want to sign orders to execute prisoners who are on death row.

According to him, this has led to an increase in the population in prisons, placing a burden on the facilities and their limited resources.

Sharing on X, Sani said, "There are close to 4K Nigerians on death row (awaiting execution) in the Nigerian Prisons now known as the correctional facility.

"Many have been there for over 30 years, since the Military http://era.No Governor wants to sign their execution and no one wants to commute their sentence.

"Managing a person on death row is a tough security problem for the correctional services. They are not as easy to handle,in view of their situation.

"It's not easy to take a decision on capital offences, but their cases need to be reviewed to ease the burden on the services. The correctional services can give the Government the best advice on those among them who deserve clemency."

Meanwhile, the Federal Government is addressing prison congestion by releasing inmates (especially those held for minor offences or unpaid fines), expanding non-custodial measures, building new facilities, speeding up justice processes, and implementing related reforms.

Still, overcrowding remains severe, as facilities designed for roughly 50,000–68,000 inmates often hold 77,000–81,000+, with 60–70% typically awaiting trial.


ASA