Oshiomhole Faults Judges for Reducing Death Sentences, Warns Trend Undermines Justice System

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has expressed deep concern over what he described as a worrying pattern in the judiciary where offences that legally attract the death penalty are being downgraded to lighter prison terms. He warned that such judgments weaken the rule of law and damage public trust in the justice system.

Speaking during a Senate debate on national security on Wednesday, the Edo North lawmaker said it was troubling that some judges were handing out 20-year sentences for crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping, and terrorism, even when the law clearly prescribes the death penalty.

He made reference to a recent case in Abuja where an Ansaru terrorist kingpin, whose offence carried a mandatory death sentence, was instead given 20 years in prison. “How can someone who should face the death sentence end up with twenty years? That is not acceptable,” Oshiomhole said.

The former NLC president accused certain judges of delivering judgments influenced by sentiment or compromise, insisting that they must apply the law exactly as enacted by the National Assembly.

“If the law says terrorism should attract the death penalty, no judge has the right to give anything less,” he said. He added that it is only after the court has imposed the lawful sentence that the President may decide to commute it.

Oshiomhole lamented that despite the dangerous work done by security agencies and prosecutors to secure convictions, inconsistent court rulings often undermine their efforts. “I am troubled when, after all the risks taken by security agencies, we still see conflicting judgments from different high courts,” he said.

He also highlighted cases where individuals acting in self-defence such as farmers protecting themselves from attackers received harsher punishments than the actual aggressors. “Someone defending himself on his own farm can be sentenced to death, yet those who attack and kill farmers are hardly brought to justice,” he noted.

The senator called on both the federal government and the judiciary to urgently review sentencing practices to ensure fairness and consistency.

“These are issues we must deal with so that no one misinterprets the seriousness of our national security challenges,” he added.