Alhaji Ali Aji-Janga, Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State on Wednesday called for a review of punishment for corruption in the country to include life imprisonment and death penalty.

The police commissioner gave the advice at the 4th Multidisciplinary National Conference with the theme: “The Challenges of Insecurity to National Development: Repositioning Science and Technology in Nigeria,” holding in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Aji-Janga was the special guest at the event organised by Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic.

Represented by Zaria Area Commander, ACP Surajo Mohammed-Fana, the police commissioner said it was imperative to apply stiffer punishment in view of the negative consequences of corruption on the overall development of the nation.

He said: “The penalty for corrupt practices in Nigeria should be reviewed to either life imprisonment or death penalty to serve as deterrent.

“Persons found to have corruptly enriched themselves should not only be made to return such ill-gotten wealth but should be barred from holding any public office”.

“The need to fight corruption and insecurity in the nation should no longer be a debate but an issue of priority, because there is so much at stake.”

He urged the youth as leaders of tomorrow, to spearhead the fight against corruption in the country, stressing that “to tolerate corruption is to debase the social, economic and political security of Nigeria.”

Aji-Janga advised that government, organisations and other employers of labour to realistically compensate workers in terms of renumeration and ensuring security for their jobs, to insulate them from corrupt practices”

The police commissioner added that the issue of insecurity and corruption should be of concern to all Nigerians, who must collectively work to terminate it.

Prof. Ibrahim Mohammed-Dabo, the Team Leader, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Refinery Project, described insecurity as a breakdown of social and societal values.

In a paper entitled: “The Challenges of Insecurity to National Development: Repositioning Science and Technology in Nigeria”, the professor identified weak judicial system as one of the problems fueling corruption in Nigeria.

He also pointed out that insufficient and ineffective security system was posing a great threat to Nigeria as a nation.

“Nigeria’s security agencies are found to be among the best security outfits in global peace keeping missions, but yet, they failed to adequately address the insecurity situation bedeviling Nigeria.

“The security agencies are not adequately equipped to confront the insurgents and other criminalities across Nigeria,” Mohammed-Dabo noted.

He lamented that lack of coordination among security agencies had led to unwanted collision between them, to the detriment of national security.

Mohammed-Dabo described corruption as a serious monster that affects the implementation of viable and meaningful projects in the country, and advised all Nigerians to re-examine themselves.

“If all of us will have the fear of God Almighty and be patriotic, Nigeria will certainly attain the greatest heights of development. Let us all embrace and practice “Change begins with me.”

Declaring the conference opened, Kaduna State Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Shehu Muhammad lauded the institution for organising the event.

The commissioner, represented by Zonal Director, Zaria Education Division, Alhaji Mohammed Tukur-Bashir said that the government was doing everything possible to enhance the standard of education in the state.

Earlier, Rector of the polytechnic, Alhaji Mohamed Kabir-Abdullahi said the conference was timely in view of the devastating nature of insecurity in the country.

The Rector, who was represented by his Deputy, Mr Thomas Kaza described security as the bedrock of meaningful development.

“It is important to note that security is critical to national growth and development of any nation.

“Today, everybody is no longer safe in Nigeria due to kidnapping, armed-robbery, gangsterism, drug abuse among others.

“This is why I say the theme of the conference is apt, timely and critical”.

“I therefore, urge the participants to be attentive to gain a lot from the conference for your own good, the society and the nation at large,” he said. (NAN)