Senator representing Edo North senatorial district, Adams Oshiomhole, has raised alarm over what he described as a troubling judicial pattern in which convictions for capital offences are being downgraded to lighter prison terms. He warned that such decisions weaken the rule of law and erode public trust in the justice system.
Speaking during Senate deliberations on national security on Wednesday, Oshiomhole said it was unacceptable for judges to replace death sentences prescribed by law with 20-year imprisonment terms—particularly in cases involving armed robbery, kidnapping or terrorism resulting in loss of life.
He was referring specifically to a recent judgement delivered by a Federal High Court judge in Abuja, where an Ansaru terrorist kingpin received a 20-year sentence despite the death penalty being stipulated for the offence.
“How can someone carrying a death sentence end up with twenty years in prison? That is not acceptable,” Oshiomhole said.
The former labour leader accused some judicial officers of delivering “sentimental or compromised judgments,” insisting that judges are bound to interpret and apply the law exactly as enacted by the National Assembly.
“If the law says terrorism, if convicted, shall attract the death penalty, no judge has a right to pronounce less than that,” he stressed.
“It is only after the law has been implemented—after the will of the people has been carried out—that the President may decide to commute or reduce the sentence.”
Oshiomhole expressed concern that despite the risks and extensive work undertaken by security agencies and prosecutors to secure convictions, inconsistent and lenient court rulings often undermine those efforts.
“I am troubled when, after all the efforts that security agencies and prosecuting authorities invest to secure convictions—because the state must follow due process—we then see conflicting judgments from various high courts,” he said.
He cited the recent case of the convicted terrorist who received a 20-year sentence, warning that such judgments embolden criminals and weaken the overall deterrent effect of the law.
Oshiomhole also called for balance in the justice system, arguing that individuals acting in self-defence sometimes face harsh penalties while actual aggressors escape accountability.
“For example, somebody allegedly killed someone who came to attack him on his farm and was sentenced to death, but there is no evidence that those who attack and kill farmers are being convicted or sentenced accordingly,” he noted.
The senator urged the federal government and the judiciary to urgently reform sentencing practices to ensure fairness, consistency, and credibility.
“These are some of the issues we have to deal with so that nobody is given any excuse to misunderstand what is clearly a national challenge,” he added
