Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, on Monday told President Muhammadu Buhari to make sure that he prosecutes every person found to have looted the national treasury.
The Sultan said Buhari should not only prosecute the corrupt and ensure that the proceeds of their corruption are forfeited to the Federal Government but that such persons should be sent to jail.
“We are 100 per cent in support of your fight against corruption in this country, and it is our belief that all those found guilty should not only have their entire assets seized and forfeited to government but also face jail sentences,” he said.
The Sultan also asked the Federal Government to institute a national integrity plan as soon as possible. He however challenged the police and other security agencies to support the anti-corruption crusade of the Buhari government.
Abubakar spoke in a keynote speech at the National Security Summit on Community Partnership Approach to Internal Security and Crime Management, organised by the police in Abuja.
Buhari was also present at the event where he spoke about his administration’s plan to strengthen the police.
The Sultan’s support for Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade came amid alleged pressure on the President to forget probing his predecessor’s financial transactions and allegation of a witch-hunt by the Peoples Democratic Party.
Catholic Bishop of Sokoto and member of the National Peace Committee, Hassan Kukah, had reportedly counselled Buhari to forget about probing the ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s alleged looting of the treasury.
The ruling All Progressives Congress on Sunday, in a veiled response to Kukah’s advice, said the President needed to probe the looters and recover the national resources they had stolen for the ‘change’ promise of the APC to be fulfilled.
In all, the ruling party said at least N11.2tn was looted under the Buhari administration, a claim the PDP has described as “reckless and capable of causing chaos in the country.”
Also on Monday, the Nigeria Labour Congress said it would not protect any corrupt worker in the country.
The NLC President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, stated this in an interview with one of our correspondents in Abuja.
Wabba was reacting to the reported seizure of landed properties of three civil servants by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission.
The NLC president said that the war against corruption should be total, adding that the workers’ union was committed to the anti-graft war.
He said, “If the properties are acquired with ill-gotten wealth, they should be investigated and the properties should be seized and those involved prosecuted.
“The fight against corruption should be total. Labour and workers should be in the forefront of the war against corruption. We have demonstrated that by making the commitment that we will champion the campaign to recover all looted funds and prosecute those involved.
“We are not going to protect any worker that enriches himself through corrupt proceeds. NLC will not protect any worker that is used or allow himself to be used to perpetrate acts of corruption.”
Wabba, who said that the congress would show good examples, urged workers to be whistle-blowers.
He added, “We must start with ourselves first as workers and trade unions. Let them not be used as a conduit to bring our country to its knees. A lot of money has been stolen and there is no way this money can be stolen without the connivance of one or two persons, even workers.
“We are not going to defend and support such workers. They have done a lot of harm to some of us; the educational sector is in a shambles because of the money they have stolen. The NLC will neither support nor defend such people.”
The Executive Director, Civil Societies Legislative and Advocacy Centre, Auwual Musa-Rafsanjani, noted that the anti-graft crusade of the ICPC was an indication that the Federal Government would not tolerate corruption.
He called for the prosecution of corrupt persons and recovery of stolen public funds to deter others from toeing the same ignoble path.
“We should not only recover stolen public funds from corrupt people, they should also be banned from holding public office. Whatever the EFCC and the ICPC have done so far is commendable, but we need to sanction the culprits by naming and shaming them,” Musa-Rafsanjani stated.
The acting Executive Secretary, Anti-Corruption Network, Ebenezer Oyetakin, observed that the ICPC seemed to have found its rhythm, adding that “what is happening is because of phobia for Buhari.”
Oyetakin said that the anti-corruption campaign of the government would institutionalise probity in the country, noting that the setting up of eminent jurists to reform the nation’s anti-corruption laws was a bold move that indicated that the crusade would be encompassing.
Some civil society organisations and lawyers also commended the move by the ICPC to seize the properties of allegedly corrupt civil servants.
Respondents told one of our correspondents in separate telephone conversations that the move was in line with the President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s desire to tackle corruption in the country.
Executive Chairman of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, Mr. Debo Adeniran, who hailed the development, said one could easily find out that some choice properties in Abuja and Lagos were owned by civil servants whose legitimate earnings could not account for.
He said, “We believe it is a long-overdue assignment. They (the anti-corruption agencies) didn’t need to wait this long to start this.
“For instance section 7 of the EFCC Act enables the EFCC to investigate anybody they suspect is living beyond his or her means.
“Many choice properties in Abuja and Lagos are owned by civil servants, judges and magistrates. All of these people should be investigated.”
Chairman of the Civil Society Network Against Corruption, Mr. Lanre Suraju, also reiterated the need to focus the anti-corruption searchlight on civil servants, whom he said were well grounded in the system.
Suraji said, “I think it is very important that the ICPC and other law enforcement agencies investigate the civil servants. The civil servants know the nitty-gritty of the system. Sometimes, they misdirect public officers.
“Go to Lagos and Abuja, you will be shocked to know of the many choice assets owned by civil servants. The anti-corruption agencies should seriously focus on the civil servants.”
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