The Federal Government has been urged to introduce capital punishment as penalty for drug
trafficking in the country.
This, according to its proponent and Chairman, Association of Online Media Practitioners of Nigeria, Wole Arisekola, will serve as a deterrent to drug traffickers in Nigeria.
Speaking yesterday in Ibadan on the increasing rate of drug trafficking in the country, Arisekola disclosed that he was moved to propose death penalty for drug offenders due to the harm heroine, cocaine and other prohibited drugs do to mankind.
“The other reason for this proposal is the increasing number of Nigerians that are being held overseas for drug offenses. Some of them are even executed in the process”, he said.
Speaking further, he noted that “many Nigerians are being executed in Malasia and other Asian countries while several of them are being jailed in Mexico, Colombia and other parts of the world.
“I am of the view that the introduction of death penalty will deter Nigerians from further involvement in this crime”.
Arisekola, who is also the publisher of Street Journal magazine, an online publication, recalled that “General Muhammadu Buhari, as Head of State in 1994, introduced this same measure and it drastically reduced the rate of drug trafficking among Nigerians.
“Now, as a civilian President, it will be necessary that he works with members of the National Assembly to ensure that this law is in place.”
He added that the present efforts of government to market Nigeria abroad will be of little effect as long as Nigerians are still being held on a daily basis for drug offences across the world.