In his administration’s sustained war on corruption and ensure that Nigeria becomes a model in corporate governance principles, President Muhammadu Buhari, has restated government’s commitment to curb new outflow of and ensure repatriation of looted funds to the country.
The president, on Tuesday, also announced plans to work closely with other leaders in the foreign countries to end the menace of corruption which, he stressed, had eating deep into the fabrics of the nation’s political system.
President Buhari made this promise during the official commissioning of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Headquarters, Abuja, saying the project represents another milestone in his government’s determined and collective fight against corruption.
He stressed that since 2015, the government under his watch have made significant progress in the fight against corruption, noting that everyone now knows that corrupt officials will be held to account, no matter how long it takes.
The President said: We are committed to working with our foreign friends to stop the inflow of stolen funds from Nigeria into their countries and recovering what is there already. These assets, when repatriated will be put to building our infrastructure.”
He also charged other arms of government to include legislators, judiciary and security agencies to work in consonance with the federal government vision against corruption and its sponsoring agents.
President Buhari expressed the hope that the judiciary, which is a critical stakeholder and partner in the war against corruption, would continue to collaborate with the Executive to bring corrupt people to book.
This is even as he called on the Legislature to add more verve to the determination of government to rid the nation of the brazen corruption witnessed in recent years, through reviewing archaic provisions in our laws and proactive passage of new legislation.
President Buhari quoted an American author and philanthropist, Anthony Robbins, who once said “the only impossible journey is the one you never begin” to justify his stance on the anti graft war, adding that what the American was saying, in other words, is that if you are determined, no obstacle will be big enough to stand in your way.”
He explained further that the goal of his Administration was to ensure the protection of public trust, and the anti-corruption war is at its centre.
President Buhari clarified: “We never intended, and we are not engaged in witch-hunts, but we are determined within the laws to call people to account.
“It is for this reason that we appeal to Nigerians to support regulatory agencies like Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, because fighting corruption is everyone’s concern. I call on the Judiciary and the National Assembly to join hands in this national effort.
“I am glad to note that quite a number of nations are signifying interest to help us tighten their laws and enter into agreements with Nigeria to repatriate not only stolen funds but to make the culprits face due process of law”, he added.