STUNNING revelations of stolen money and properties seized last week confirmed Nigeria’s rating as “fantastically corrupt” and re-fired the imperative of ramping up the anti-corruption war. From the almost $10 million found with a former oil sector executive, to the N42 billion found in a bogus bank account, to the over $150 million and multi-billion naira properties owned by a former minister, the scale of the corruption beggars belief and provokes anger at the faltering assault on graft. Muhammadu Buhari should urgently revamp and re-strategise or see his presidency suffer ignominious defeat in the hands of corruption.
The revelations are shocking, confirming that the magnitude of corruption is greater than often perceived and frustrating to Nigerians who are baffled that despite serial exposure of industrial scale looting, no single high profile person has been convicted since this government took office 21 months ago. The recent cases are typical. Reports said $153 million and several properties were allegedly illegally acquired by a former Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke. Shortly after, 62 houses were traced to a public official, coming just after 47 mint-new cars were recovered from another. Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, said $136.67 million was found in an account with a fake identity; N7 billion and $15 million from someone and N1 billion from another.
In Kaduna, the discovery of $9.7 million and £74,000 cash stashed in a nondescript house allegedly owned by Andrew Yakubu, a former group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, provoked much anger among residents of the impoverished neighbourhood. Meanwhile, there are ongoing trials arising from the $2.1 billion arms fund shared among politicians; trials for massive looting at NIMASA; trials of about 17 ex-governors, and of some judges, including two from the Supreme Court.
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