Mr. Kanmi Ajibola, the Oriade State Constituency representative in the Osun State House of Assembly, has submitted a formal request to the leadership of the National Assembly advocating for the implementation of the death penalty as a punishment for corruption.
In a detailed five-page letter directed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, copies of which were made available in Osogbo on Friday, Ajibola emphasized the urgent need to introduce capital punishment into Nigeria’s anti-corruption legislation due to the pervasive nature of corruption in the country.
Ajibola, who previously served as the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Ilesa Branch, expressed deep concern over the significant financial losses incurred by Nigeria as a result of corruption. He asserted that had these funds been utilized appropriately, the nation would not be grappling with such extensive infrastructure deficiencies.
In addition to punishing the offender, the death penalty works to stop similar crimes from happening again. Society can stop corrupt leaders from abusing their position of authority to pursue their own agendas by permanently removing them from office.
Referring to Sections 4(1) and (3) of the Constitution, the attorney argued that the National Assembly has the authority to enact legislation aimed at curbing corrupt behavior within the nation. He asserted that the current anti-corruption laws and statutes in Nigeria lack effectiveness, necessitating the incorporation of capital punishment as a deterrent.
The letter partly read, “As a human rights activist, I should not be thinking of a capital punishment to curb or drastically minimise corruption in Nigeria, but for the fact that the acts of the few leaders that are corrupt are leading to the death of their innocent subjects, I think this is the only way and the hard way.”
“At this very moment, before corruption kills Nigeria, it is desirable that Nigeria moves faster to kill corruption. The incumbent leadership of the National Assembly can be the Moses and Musa of the present Nigerian generation by removing the country out of death trap of corruption and its killing venom.”
He stressed that the lack of robust laws to effectively combat corruption has undermined peace, order, good governance, and effective administration in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Within the thirty days of the receipt of this letter, I plead with the National Assembly to perform this public duty to save Nigeria by introducing penalty clause of capital punishment into our Anti-Corruption Laws and Acts.”
The concept of justice lies at the core of any functional society. When individuals in positions of leadership misuse their influence for personal gain, they betray the trust placed in them by the people. The death penalty represents the ultimate recourse for the gravest crimes, sending a clear message that corruption will not be tolerated. Nigeria may show that it is committed to maintaining the rule of law and reviving trust in its institutions by enforcing the death penalty against corrupt leaders.
While there might be opposition to implementing such a measure, it is important to recognise that it has the potential to make Nigeria a more open, responsible, and wealthy country. In order to ensure a better future for future generations, Nigeria must now stand up to corruption and support the death penalty.
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