Ogun and the Death Penalty Option

By: Elijah Udofia 

There is no doubt that killings and acts of killings have become the order of the day in Nigeria. Apart from death in the hands of terrorists, the lives of Nigerians are daily been cut short by ritualists, cultists, kidnappers, armed robbers, etc.

From the North to the South, East to West, it is one killing after the other. It is either husband killing his wife or the wife killing her husband. Father killing his daughter or son killing his mother. It so appalling that one beging to wonder when the country became a jungle, where life is so cheap. Even in the jungle, animals do not kill each others for the fun of it except for food and defending territories.

In Nigeria today, killing has become a hobby or a pass time for some people. While ritualists kill and harvest body parts for money making rituals. Some kill to take possession of the deceased property. Others, like cultists carry out revenge killing or kill to show superiority while others kill for ransom.

About two years ago, the media both traditional and new, was washed of how a boy who resides in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, connived with his friends, killed his girl friend and used the head for money ritual purposes after disposing the body by burning. Some times one beging to wonder the benefits of these senseless killings or is it that humans have lost their humanity?

Also in Ogun State, in the middle of last year, three Indians and a Nigerian were kidnapped along the Ijebu-Ode -Ore road but were lucky to be rescued by men of the Nigeria Police. Similarly, not too long ago, the wife of Retd. Assistant Inspector General of Police, Mrs. Folasade Odumosu, was kidnapped on her way to work and the sum of N40m demanded for her release .

Apart from kidnapping, cult related killings are also rampant in places like Abeokuta, the State capital, Sagamu and Ijebu-Ode. Cultists reign of terror saw the killings of rival members and sometimes cut short the lives of innocent people.

The question now is, when did Nigeria and Nigerians descend to this abysmal low in morality? Can this be attributed to exposure to modernity, technology or influence of social Media? What really went wrong in the past few decades that people no longer regards life as sacred?

Though the Nigeria's legal system is noted for undue and prolong delays in delivering justice, it has also made some landmark judgements especially in cases involving murders and the likes by passing death sentences on those who took other people's lives.

On the third of February, 2025, an Ogun State High Court sitting in Abeokuta, sentenced he trio of Lekan Adekanbi, Ahmed Odetola, and Waheed Adeniyi to death by hanging for the murder of Kehinde Fatinoye, his wife, Bukola Fatinoye, and their son, Oreoluwa, on January 1, 2023.

The Fatinoyes were attacked at their Ibara GRA residence shortly after returning from a crossover church service. Led by their driver, Adekanbi, the assailants broke into the home around 2 am, murdered the couple and set both their bodies and the house on fire.

Not done, the attackers also tied up their son, Oreoluwa, along with an adopted son, before throwing them into the Ogun River. While Oreoluwa unfortunately lost his life, the adopted son miraculously survived.

After their arrest by the police, Adekanbi, in an interview with journalists admitted spearheading the attack, citing his employers’ refusal to increase his salary or grant him a loan request.

Many Nigerians observed with dismay that death row inmates remain in prisons for years, living off taxpayers’ money after the death sentence had been passed on them. Concerns have also arise over the government reluctance to sign execution orders—a trend that has left many death row inmates languishing in correctional facilities indefinitely.

Since the return to democratic rule in Nigeria about 26 years ago, it is on record that no Nigerians governor has signed and ordered the execution of condemned criminals despite being empowered by the nation's constitution. This act is quite contrary to what obtained during the military era where Military Administrators or Governors approved execution once the death sentence was pronounced by competent Courts.

Refusal or unwillingness to sign execution orders have no doubt contributed to the high rise of heinous crimes that most often led to lose of lives because in a situation where the Biblical "an eye for an eye" injunction is not followed to the letter and where justice is not seen to have been served, it emboldens criminals to commit more heinous crimes, "after all nothing go happen".

Disturbed by this ugly trend and the need to eradicate incidences of violent crimes like kidnapping, cultism, ritual killings and the likes as well as ensure that victims of these crimes get justice, the State government is considering a drastic action by looking at the death penalty option through signing Death Warrants of those sentenced to death by competent Courts.

The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Oluwasina Ogungbade (SAN), gave this indication and expressed concern on the increase in criminal activities in recent times in the State.

According to Mr. Ogungbade, government is ready to take the bull by the horn by implementing the Law by signing the Death Warrants. 

He observed that despite the proactive measures put in place by security agencies in tackling crimes, there appears to be an upsurge particularly in ritual killings, adding that government has identified the wrong perception that there will be no repercussions when some of these crimes are committed to be the root cause.

"I can tell you that we are looking seriously at this as a means of sending across a message that Ogun State is not a place where you can come and commit such serious crimes and get away with it.

" The Law as at today, for example, a murder case attract death penalty and some other offences. But if you look at it nationally, for a long time, there had been reluctant of government across the States particularly since the advent of democratic rule to sign Death Warrants but I assure you that the time we are now, we are looking very seriously at following the Law to its letter.

"It is part of the duty of the governor to sign Death Warrants and I am certain that when he took that oath of office, he took it knowing fully well the responsibilities that comes with it and he is a governor that uphold the rule of law so I can assure that in deserving cases, he will not shirk away from that constitutional duty.

Ogungbade believes that if somebody has gone through the process of fair trial, made use of all his appeals, then "we will begin to look seriously at implementing those judgements hoping that it will serve as a detergent to those who still intend on carrying out such crimes. But in doing so, I can assure you that we will be systematic about it, we will not be reckless about it".

From time immemorial, society has always find a way of dispensing justice and death penalty has always been a way of ensuring that those who commit serious crimes especially the ones that involve human lives pay dearly for it. 

It is often said that "drastic situation requires drastic solution" and since criminals have decided not to heed several warnings of governor Dapo Abiodun, who on many occasions, advised them to turn a new leaf, then it is time for them to begin to face the hangmen's noose.

Mr. Udofia 

Writes from Laderin, Abeokuta.