(u) Abolish all forms of corporal punishment, including sharia-based punishments Corporal punishment, such as caning, as well as sharia penal code punishments of the northern states (i.e. amputation, flogging and stoning to death) were lawful in Nigeria. Non-governmental sources: Sharia based punishments remain on the statute books in twelve states, including corporal punishment. In many cases, sharia courts fail to conform to international standards of fairness and do not respect due process. (v) Abolish the death penalty de jure, commute the sentences of prisoners on death row to imprisonment, and release those aged over 60 who have been on death row for 10 years or more Capital punishment was still in the national legislation, but there was a policy not to carry out executions. However, persons continued to be sentenced to death, which led to the steady growth in numbers of persons on death row for many years, in inhuman conditions. Non-governmental sources: The Minister of Foreign Affairs’ statement on the outcome of the UPR in June 2009 indicated that the country had set up a National Committee on the Review of death penalty, and at the meeting of the National Council of State in March and June 2009, President Umaru Yaradua appealed to all Governors of Nigeria to review the issues of the large number of condemned people on death row across the country. A number of states have commuted some or all of their death sentences, and the Federal Government commuted 45 death sentences to life imprisonment in 2008. However, other state governments have extended the scope of the death penalty to make kidnapping a capital offence, and there have been allegations that a number of inmates have been executed secretly while in detention, with at least seven executions by hanging in the past two years. In June 2009, several states were considering recommencing executions, particularly in the south-south and south-east regions of Nigeria. By letter dated 14 September 2007, the Government stated that it had, as part of the decongestion process, released all prisoners over the age of 60, as well as all prisoners who had served more than 10 years on death row. (w) Establish effective mechanisms to enforce the Nigeria has legislation prohibiting discrimination Several states have adopted bills prohibiting domestic violence, including Non-governmental sources: During its review in the UN UPR Working Group, A/HRC/13/39/Add.6 140 minor or less serious offences