By Abigail Philip David
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has expressed concern over reports of a young man sentenced to death for stealing a fowl in the state.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, the governor directed the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to conduct a full investigation into the case and begin the process of granting the man a prerogative of mercy.
Adeleke wrote: *“I have received the report of a case of a young man reportedly sentenced to death by hanging in Osun State for stealing a fowl. Consequently, I have directed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Osun State, to commence a full investigation into the matter and initiate processes to grant prerogative of mercy to the young man.*
*“Osun is a land of justice and equity and must ensure fairness and protection of the sanctity of lives. I assure members of the public that this matter is receiving my direct attention with every sense of urgency.”
The case, which has garnered widespread public attention, reportedly involves a young man arrested in 2010 and sentenced to death in 2014 after being convicted of stealing a fowl. Many Nigerians have questioned the severity of the punishment for what they see as a minor offense.
On social media, users criticized the justice system, contrasting the case with others involving more significant crimes.
User #Uncle_Olu commented: *“Imagine a country where someone spent 14 years in jail and was sentenced to death by hanging because he stole a fowl. But someone who stole over ₦80 billion was just given a ₦500 million fine.”*
Similarly, #Sholisea wrote: *“Sentencing someone to death because he stole a fowl is the height of injustice in this country.”*
Others pointed out that theft alone does not warrant a death sentence unless classified as armed robbery, which involves the use of weapons.
Referring to a 2014 news report on the case, #TheYemiKing explained: *“Even if you steal ₦20 and carry a knife, it’s armed robbery. The judge must give a death sentence, as the law requires. But the judge also recommended that the governor could commute the sentence. Why didn’t Aregbe (former Governor Rauf Aregbesola) act on it?”*
User #egi_nupe added: “No court will sentence you to death for merely stealing a fowl. If the theft involved a weapon, it becomes armed robbery, which is punishable by death if found guilty.”
Governor Adeleke’s intervention has been widely welcomed, with many hoping the case will lead to reforms in the application of justice for minor offenses.
