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Int’l anti-corruption day: ANEEJ advocates life imprisonment for corrupt officials

By Michael Egbejule (Benin City) and Sunday Aikulola (Lagos)
11 December 2022   |   3:29 am
The Executive Director of Africa Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Rev. David Ugolor, yesterday, advocated life imprisonment for corrupt officials.

• CHRICED, CACOL, MRA Seek Collective Action To Tackle Scourge
The Executive Director of Africa Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Rev. David Ugolor, yesterday, advocated life imprisonment for corrupt officials.

He said the move became necessary with over 133 million or 63 per cent of Nigerians living in multi-dimensional poverty.

Ugolor called for a concerted efforts against the high cases of corruption in the country.

Speaking in Benin City on the occasion of the International Anti-corruption Day, Ugolor reiterated the group’s opposition to death penalty but rather tasked the National Assembly on legislation to prescribe long prison terms for corrupt practices.

Represented by the deputy Executive Director, Leo Atakpu, he challenged Niger Delta governors to give accurate account of the N625.4b refund of 13 per cent oil derivation, subsidy and Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) from the Federation Account in 2021 and 2022.

Meanwhile, members of the Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED), Centre for Anti-corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), Media Rights Agenda (MRA) have stressed the need for collaborative effort to address the scourge of corruption.

With the theme: “Uniting the World Against Corruption,” the groups also identified corruption as a major impediment to peace, security and development.

In a statement, Executive Director, CHRICED, Dr. Ibrahim Zikirullahi, said it is indisputable that corruption has grave and devastating consequences, particularly for the poor, marginalised, and vulnerable groups.

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, he urged candidates, political parties, poll workers, and voters to avoid all forms of electoral corruption.

He tasked political parties and their candidates to provide comprehensive blueprint outlining how they intend to prevent corruption and its debilitating effects on governance outcomes.

Chairman, CACOL, Debo Adeniran, advised prosecutors to be cautious with pardoned corruption convicts, as they could go after investigators, witnesses, prosecutors and judges that convicted them.

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