Death Penalty On Corruption – By Ex-Buhari’s Aide, Obono-Obla

Okoi Obono-Obla, a former senior special adviser to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari on prosecution, has strongly proposed the implementation of the death penalty for corruption and economic crimes. He made this suggestion during his speech at the 16th Ralph Opara Memorial Lecture, hosted by the National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) in Calabar.
In his address, Obono-Obla highlighted the pressing need for Nigeria to enforce the death penalty for corruption and economic offenses committed by political officials, including government employees. He pointed out that corruption has become deeply rooted in Nigeria, with professionals labeling the nation as ‘fantastically corrupt,’ ‘endemically corrupt,’ ‘compulsively corrupt,’ and ‘pathologically corrupt.’ A recent PricewaterhouseCoopers study indicated that an alarming 30% of Nigeria’s GDP is lost to corruption, emphasizing the necessity for severe measures to tackle this issue.
Obono-Obla, who faced suspension from Buhari’s government as the chairman of the special presidential panel on public property recovery for allegedly overstepping, argued that the death penalty could be an effective way to address widespread corruption in Nigeria.
He acknowledged the need to consider the broader implications and potential outcomes of such a policy, noting that Nigeria’s constitution does not ban the death penalty, which has been in effect for over 50 years. He cited several countries with high corruption rates, such as China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, and South Sudan, which have adopted the death penalty as a deterrent.
While some believe the death penalty serves as an effective deterrent, organizations like Amnesty International have raised concerns regarding its efficacy and ethical implications. Obono-Obla remarked that the discussion about the death penalty in Nigeria is ongoing, with some supporting it as a necessary tool against corruption, while others consider it too extreme. He emphasized the need to carefully evaluate the complexities and potential repercussions of enforcing the death penalty for corruption and economic crimes.