Controversies have continued to trail the recent call by the Arewa Consultative Forum that anybody found guilty of corruption should be killed.
While some are welcoming it with an open hands, others say it is not right.
Opposition party, the Congress for Progressive Change has hailed the ACF demand and submitted that corruption in the country requires such drastic measure to be tackled.
CPC National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, said that the ACF’s proposal was a welcome development.
He said, “Corruption was higher in Ghana until the coming of Jerry Rawlings, who in one day killed many former heads of state for corruption.
“Since then, the quality of governance has been high in the state. We don’t have democracy in Nigeria. What we have is civil rule. This government is corrupt and will not allow the killings of corrupt people.
“The recommendation must be enshrined in the constitution. We need drastic measures to curb corruption in the country. We support that corrupt people be killed.”
A lawyer to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), said the suggestion is in order, but an eminent constitutional lawyer, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); the All Nigeria People’s Party and the Ijaw National Congress dismissed the proposal, saying it would not reduce corruption in the country.
The proposal as submitted by the forum reads: “One crime that has proved capable of gravely harming or killing its victim, Nigeria, is corruption. Sadly, our laws have not recognised corruption for what it is. ACF recommends that corruption be recognised as a capital offence and made to carry capital punishment.” Meanwhile Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Wednesday however said capital punishment is not the best option.
The Secretary General of the group, Chief Seinde Arogbofa, while reacting to the issue said: “We in Afenifere do not agree with the death penalty proposal for corruption. It is not the solution to corruption except where it involves those who take life.
“As to corruption, death penalty is not realistic because where do we start from? It’s the common knowledge that most of our former leaders are corrupt. Is the law going to be retroactive?
However, the TUC president, Mr. Peter Esele, said corruption had got to a level where it should attract capital punishment.
He said, “The capital punishment is the law in China. You know something graver than that is happening here today. Or let me put it this way, there was a time in China when they had a similar threat of corruption.
“The Chinese decided to introduce capital punishment to deal with corruption-related cases. That step has streamlined their society and cleansed their community. I think our own has got to that level.
“If the introduction of capital punishment would help to reduce corruption, it is a welcome development. Anything that will reduce corruption is welcome.”
On his part, Mr. Yusuf Ali (SAN) explained that he had always canvassed the introduction of the death penalty for corruption, even before the ACF came out with the recommendation.
He noted that those involved in the act wish to be alive to enjoy their fraudulently acquired wealth.
Ali said, “I have been one of the earliest advocates of capital punishment for corruption and I hope that very soon it will become a reality.
“Capital punishment should be the penalty for corruption.Okei-Odumakin stated, “While I have issues with capital punishment in general, the dimension corruption has taken in Nigeria is so frightening and it is becoming clear that we require to look at drastic measures to combat it. This is why people are calling for capital punishment. I will stick with life imprisonment because of my principled objection to death sentence.”
The National Publicity Secretary of the ANPP, Chief Emma Eneukwu, also faulted the call for capital punishment.
He said, “That recommendation is barbaric. We should rather send them to jail. Killing people now is primitive. No civilised country kills its people anyhow.
“Instead of doing that, we should rather send such people to long jail terms like 20 years and also make sure that they lose their ill-gotten wealth to the state. If this is done, corruption will be minimised in the country.”
Itse Sagay also disagreed with the ACF, saying making corruption a capital offence would mean going to the extreme.
He said, “I think that is rather extreme. The sentiment is that it would deter corruption but nothing will happen.
“Now we have just imprisonment for corruption and nothing is happening. Is it when we make it a capital offence that something will happen? I don’t think so.
“I think what we need is the enforcement of the current laws.”
“It will be a deterrent because nobody will want to steal and not be alive to enjoy the proceeds. People steal because they hope to be alive to enjoy what they stole but nobody will steal if they know they might not be the beneficiary.
“If corruption becomes a capital offence up to 50 per cent of those involved will desist from it.”
However, President of Congress for Democrat CD, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, said that she would prefer a life sentence because of her objection to death sentence.
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