HUNDREDS of protesters stormed Nigeria's National Assembly yesterday demanding that it promulgate new laws which prescribe the death penalty as punishment for corruption in the country.  

Regarded internationally as one of the most corrupt nations on earth, Nigeria is a country lacking the instruments and institutions to monitor way public officers conduct themselves. On March 28, President Muhammadu Buhari was elected on an anti-corruption platform as the public decided something needed to be done to stem kleptomania by government officials. 

Seeking to build on this momentum, a group known as Voice of the Voiceless, organised the demonstration, during which it said there was no way Nigeria would make progress if corruption in public office was not brought under control. It then wrote separate letters to the senate president Senator Bukola Saraki and the speaker of the House of Representatives Hon Yakubu Dogara. 

In the letter to the House, which was signed by the national coordinator of the group Oliver Ezeala, the protesters wrote: “Corruption, as we are all aware of, has eaten so deep into the fabric of this great nation and we are strongly advocating the death penalty for anybody who is found guilty of corrupt practices, no matter how highly-placed such an individual is in the society. Nigeria has tried every other measure of deterrent but to no avail. 

“We want this great nation to toe the path of countries such as Indonesia, Singapore, China and other world powers who have achieved so much developmental strides as a result of their zero tolerance for corruption. “We believe that President Muhammadu Buhari will fight this our common hydra-headed enemy to a complete standstill.” 

Since President Buhari came to power, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been busy questioning a few governors but corruption is still believed to be widespread across the country. Of particular concern is the country's oil industry that has been plagued with illegal deals and the non-remittance of receipts.