The Senate has said it is not possible for it to initiate a bill that prescribes the death penalty for looters.
The red chamber, however, pledged to support any executive or private member bill that would criminalise acts of corruption.
The spokesperson for the Senate, Godiya Akwashiki, in an interview on Thursday, spoke against a backdrop of some Nigerians and groups calling for a bill that prescribes the death penalty for treasury looters instead of the lawmakers devoting time to social media and hate speech bills.
Akwashiki explained that it was impossible for the Senate President to direct any senator to produce any particular bills, including one that prescribes the death penalty for looters.
The Senate spokesperson also said different punishments were already prescribed against corruption in the acts that established the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, as well as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Meanwhile, he dismissed as false the insinuations that senators, particularly former governors and ministers in the red chamber, would reject such legislation in order to protect themselves as they already started a serious fight against corruption.
Akwashiki, however, said the executive arm of government, groups or individuals should initiate bills that prescribe the death penalty for treasury looters and see if the upper chamber would not push them through.
