Ndume backs death penalty for corruption… here’s all to know

Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume, has voiced his support for imposing the death penalty on individuals involved in massive government embezzlement. 

He differentiated between stealing one million or one billion and stealing one trillion, suggesting that only the latter warrants such extreme punishment. 

Ndume acknowledged the prevalence of corruption in Nigeria, attributing it to a culture where politicians share stolen funds with the public to maintain support. 

He made these remarks during an appearance on Channels TV Politics Today, in response to questions about using the death penalty as a deterrent for drug offenses. 

Ndume argued that the death penalty serves as a strong deterrent for drug-related crimes, emphasizing the devastating impact of drugs on individuals and society. The Senate recently passed a bill prescribing the death penalty for those convicted of trading in hard drugs and narcotics. 

Read also:

• Kano and Ganduje: killing in the name of God
• Iniobong Umoren: Court sentences Akwa Ibom jobseeker’s killer to death
• The Shari’a: Halting incessant killings in Northern Nigeria over blasphemy
• Bled to death: Girl kills friend during fight… here’s how to save bleeding patient

While some legal experts and civil society organizations have criticized the bill, advocating for alternative measures such as strict border control and addressing poverty to combat drug trafficking, others see the death penalty as necessary to deter such offenses.

“I have been to the National Assembly, I can’t say because we are on TV now and not telling the truth. If the death penalty is supposed to be included in corruption, I will support it but you don’t go and kill someone that stole one million or one billion, no. But someone who steals one trillion of government money should be killed.

“The death penalty is the best deterrent for those being caught for drugs. If you do drugs, you are killing people.

“That means you have destroyed the lives of so many people and killed so many people,” he said.

What is death penalty 

The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, is a legal penalty in which a person is sentenced to death by the state as punishment for a crime. In Nigeria, the death penalty can be imposed for offenses such as:

• Murder
• Treason
• Armed robbery resulting in death
• Terrorism
• Kidnapping resulting in death
• Drug trafficking resulting in death
• Hijacking resulting in death
• Rape resulting in death (in some states)
• Espionage
• Mutiny

It’s worth noting that the application of the death penalty varies by jurisdiction and is subject to legal processes and regulations within each jurisdiction.