WAMAC Calls for Death Penalty for Corrupt Officials in Nigeria

The Wadata Media and Advocacy Centre (WAMAC) has called for the introduction of the death penalty for corrupt officials in Nigeria as a deterrent to the rising levels of corruption in the country.

Speaking at a town hall meeting in Lokoja, Kogi State, on Saturday, the Executive Director of WAMAC, Zubair Abdurra’uf, highlighted the urgent need for stricter penalties for those found guilty of corruption.

The event, themed “Good Governance: A Product of Transparency and Accountability for Societal Development,” aimed to strengthen investigative data journalism in the fight against corruption, particularly through the use of Nigerian local languages.

Abdurra’uf lamented that corruption has deeply infiltrated Nigeria’s social and political fabric and can only be effectively tackled by eliminating corrupt individuals from the system through capital punishment.

“I believe it is time we take a cue from countries like China, where capital punishment is imposed on corrupt officials,” Abdurra’uf stated.

“I advocate for the death penalty for any corrupt person in Nigeria, as this would deter others from engaging in corrupt practices.”

He further pointed out that bad governance allows corruption to thrive unchecked, stating that corruption has been a persistent issue since Nigeria’s colonial era and continues to manifest in the public sector.

“Corruption continues to thrive in our country, which is why we face challenges of bad governance and maladministration. Until people rise up and demand accountability, there will be no development,” Abdurra’uf said.

“We can have well-formulated policies and budgets, but their implementation requires public scrutiny.”

He urged Nigerian citizens to demand accountability from their leaders, emphasising the power of the people in holding government officials accountable.

“People have the right to demand accountability from their government. If citizens fail to ask questions or demand transparency, they will continue to face a government that does not prioritise development,” he added.

Abdurra’uf also referenced the recent case of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, who was invited by an anti-graft agency over allegations of fund misappropriation.

He expressed confidence that the anti-corruption agency would thoroughly investigate the matter and hold any guilty party accountable. “This will serve as a deterrent to others,” he remarked.

The guest speaker at the event, Mrs Lola Balagbogbo, a lecturer at Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, also spoke on the importance of transparency and accountability in governance.

In her address titled “Good Governance: A Product of Transparency and Accountability for Societal Development,” she argued that the slow pace of development in Nigeria is the result of bad governance, characterised by the absence of transparency in both the public and private sectors.

Balagbogbo stressed that to achieve good governance, Nigeria must prioritise leadership that genuinely connects with the needs of its citizens.

“Nigeria needs to transition to permission-level leadership, where the focus is on transparency, accountability, and addressing the needs of the people,” she said.

Both speakers urged Nigerian citizens to actively engage with their legislators and executives to ensure a corrupt-free administration and promote good governance in the country.