A youth organization under the umbrella of Nigerian Youth Patriots (NYP) has called for the introduction of death penalty for public officers convicted of corruption in Nigeria.
He said that would return patriotism and nationalism among the youth and also serve as a deterrent to corrupt practices.
The demand was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the President of the group and the Technical Assistant on Communication, Office of the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President of Nigeria on Students Engagement, Amb. Timothy Nwachukwu.
In the statement, Nwachukwu argued that the current penalties for corruption were insufficient to deter the rampant graft plaguing the nation.
“The pervasive abuse of public office and entrusted power for private gain through embezzlement, fraud, looting, misappropriation, illicit financial flows, financial leakage, conflict of interest, false accounting, influence peddling, and bribery amongst others undermines the development and realization of the full potentials of Nigerian youths.
“This includes students and the situation has resulted in bad living conditions, unemployment, lack of quality education, avoidable death occasioned by bad roads and moribund health facilities.
“The constitutional rights of Nigerian youths and students are violated when state funds that should have been used for development, job creation, empowerment and provision of basic amenities are instead embezzled by corrupt individuals for their personal enrichment.
“If offenses like murder, homicide, treason, instigating invasion of Nigeria among others have capital punishment attached as penalty, why not corruption?
“It is imperative to make corruption a capital offense so as to serve as a powerful deterrent to others,” Nwachukwu said.
According to the group, the call for capital punishment for corruption comes amidst growing public anger over the pervasive nature of the problem, which has been linked to a host of social and economic ills.
Nwachukwu said the NYP has vowed to intensify its campaign for tougher anti-corruption measures, including the death penalty until significant progress is made.
He added: “Over ten countries including China and Thailand have imposed death sentences for public officers, representatives, judges, foreign officials and officials of international organizations who solicit or receive bribes, as the Chinese government executed a former vice mayor of Hangzhou City Xu Maiyong, and vice mayor of Suzhou City Jiang Renjie for taking US$50 million in bribes.”
Amb Nwachukwu commended the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Olukayode for his untiring efforts in bringing corrupt persons to book irrespective of their high standing and political affiliation.
He called on Nigerian youths and students to support the efforts of the Nation’s anti-graft agencies in their resolve to rescue the future of Nigerian youths and students who are pilloried by the corrupt practices of those entrusted with public office.
