ANTI- CORRUPTION WAR:
NIGERIAN YOUTH PATRIOTS DEMANDS DEATH PENALTY FOR CORRUPT OFFICIALS
Abuja, Nigeria
Nigerian Youth Patriots (NYP) A National Youth organisation championing the reinvigoration of Patriotism and Nationalism among Nigerian Youths has called for the introduction of death penalty for public officials convicted of corruption in Nigeria to serve as deterrent to others.
In a strongly worded statement released by Amb. Timothy Nwachukwu LLB, the President of Nigerian Youth Patriots and the Technical Assistant on Communication, office of the SSA to the President of Nigeria on Students Engagement, he argued that the current penalties for corruption are 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 realisation of the full potentials of Nigerian youths and students, and has resulted to 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 offences like murder, homicide, treason, instigating invasion of Nigeria among others have capital punishment attached as penalty. It is imperative to make corruption a capital offence so as to serve as a powerful deterrent to others”. The group said.
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. The Nigerian Youth Patriots has vowed to intensify its campaign for tougher anti-corruption measures, including the death penalty, until significant progress is made.
The group said that over ten countries including China and Thailand imposes death sentence for public officials, 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 while are pilloried by corrupt practices of those entrusted with public office.
Nigerian Youth Patriots can be reached via nigeriayouthpatriots@gmail.com and +2349041242162
