A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Dr Wahab Shittu, has said the death penalty for convicted terrorists should remain a non-negotiable part of Nigeria’s legal framework.
He argued that terrorism is a crime against humanity that deserves the maximum punishment where the law permits.
His position following the life sentence imposed on three terrorists linked to the abduction of school children and teachers in Oriire lfa of Oyo State, a judgment that has renewed calls for a review of Nigeria’s terrorism laws.
Speaking on Thursday during an interview on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, monitored by DAILY POST in Abeokuta, Shittu said the sentencing of the convicted terrorists should not be viewed as judicial leniency but as a reflection of the legal framework within which judges operate.
According to him, terrorism remains “a crime against humanity” because it destroys lives, property, economies and critical national infrastructure, and therefore deserves the maximum punishment where the law permits.
He said, “Judges cannot act outside statutory framework. What you can advocate for is perhaps for us to amend our terrorism Prohibition and Prevention Act in a way that will make all those who participate in terrorist activities, all those who participate by aiding and abetting, including those who actually engage in the terrorist act themselves, to be given the same, measure of punishment.”
The SAN maintained that while calls for tougher penalties are legitimate, judges are bound by existing laws and can only impose sentences provided under the current legal framework until the Terrorism Prevention and
