Sultan to Buhari, go after looters

Firstclass newsline gathered that 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 a
source 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 firstclass newsline crew 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."
Firstclassnewsline.net