Ritics of the Muhammadu Buhari administration's anti-corruption crusade yesterday got a response — blackmail or no intimidation will halt the war.
Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed said Nigerians needs to be ready for more mind boggling revelations in the 2015 and 2014 report, which will be yet to be released.
For anyone doubting the claims, the minister said the info he supplied to understand if it was accurate or not should be investigated by them.
«Let's talk more about the price of corruption. Have you ever seen that whereas Nigeria's national budget has increased from just over N900 billion in 1999 to finished N6 trillion poverty has additionally grown nearly by the same percentage? The reason just isn't far fetched: Appropriated funds have mostly ended up in the pockets of a few looters.»
He added: «Do you understand that what's so far been revealed as per taking in the Dasukigate is about N54.8billion Whereas, in the entire 2015 all the zonal intervention act cost N52 billion. This is the expense of corruption for you personally.
When the cash meant to build roads is looted, the outcome is the roads aren't constructed as well as the people suffer and even die in road mishaps that are avoidable. We all are sentenced to darkness, when the money designed to provide electricity is looted. We're not able to reduce infant and maternal mortality when a few pocket the money meant for health care. These will be the costs of corruption. Let's not just talk about corruption in the abstract, let us be counting its price to our own lives as a way to drive home the point that corruption should be tackled decisively for Nigerians to feel the effect of government.»
Mohammed spoke of two courts of corruption — the court of public opinion and also the court of law. «The court of public opinion can also be as important as the court of law,» he said.
Mohammed raised the alarm that treasury looters had resorted to fighting back, using various means.
However he assured the country that the administration will not give in to their distractions.
The authorities, he said, has achieved what it set out to achieve, which is to sensitise Nigerians to the evil of corruption.
He explained: «Well, I can let you know today that corruption is already fighting back, and it's fighting hard and dirty. Sponsored articles have begun appearing in the newspapers and in the social networking while 'Talking Heads' have began making the rounds in the electronic media deriding this Government as good as the struggle against corruption. Not stopping there, they've been creating distractions by sponsoring posts in both local and international media tag the President a budding fascist, to deride the Administration's policies generally and even write off his 2016 budget. We know the only goal of those assaults is to deflect attention from your war on corruption.
»It's saddening that some otherwise credible voices have unwittingly let themselves to be railroaded into the bandwagon of pro-corruption orchestra. They engage in sophistry to try to drum up Nigerians from the anti-corruption conflict. One hack writer even said the disclosure that 55 Nigerians supposedly stole N1.34 trillion between 2006 and 2013 didn't trigger any anger among Nigerians! A disclosure that attracted the attention of worldwide financial institutions and the world's most powerful country, played extensively in the international media and made the front page in more than a dozen
Nigerian papers cannot be dismissed using a wave of the hand.
«Also, among those who gained from the Dasukigate even had the temerity to deride the anti-corruption war as 'selective', when in saner climes he should happen to be so ashamed of himself that he would have apologised to the nation and hunkered down...for good. These sponsored assaults usually are not about to cease. In fact, they'll become more coordinated and more extreme in the days ahead. But the good news is the fact that we are winning the war. Nigerians are currently talking more about corruption. Nigerians are actually counting the cost of corruption to their own lives.
»We call on Nigerians to not be taken in by the antics of the sponsored denunciation of the anti-graft war. The treasury looters, who've so much resources in their own kitty, as well as their cohorts will throw everything but the kitchen sink at this Administration, But we don't have any doubt that Nigerians are discerning enough to be aware of the truth which, in the words of President
Muhammadu Buhari, is that unless Nigeria kills corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.
«This Government will neither be deflected nor intimidated by anyone into giving up or weakening the fight against corruption, which will be a war of survival for our state. The fight will not be stopped by any quantity of media or other attacks. The pseudo-analyzers and hack writers will labour in vain in heir quest to stop the train of this anti-corruption fight.»
The minister said the info on corruption was meant to sensitise the nation on the evil of corruption.
«Let me restate, for emphasis, that when we give examples of mind boggling acts of corruption, our intention isn't to vilify anyone but to sensitise Nigerians regarding how harmful corruption would be to the country as well as the individuals. The truth is that what we now have shown so far is just the tip of the iceberg. Nigerians should stay tuned for more shocking revelations in the days ahead.»
On why the details he gave on alleged treasury looters failed to comprise 1999-2005, he explained the compilation covered only periods when the anti-corruption law became completely functional and that was around 2006.
The minister said by the time the details of 2014 and 2015 are released, the nation will soon be shocked.
His words: «When we make following disclosures, you will be more shocked than you are now.»
He also decried the situation where it takes about seven or even more years to prosecute the «so called strong» folks.
On the role of the judiciary in the fight against corruption, the minister reiterated his earlier appeal that both Bench and the Bar should begin to see the fight as a national effort.
He explained " and I can ensure you that we have formed a demo As Well As the judiciary is willing and prepared to cooperate with us. So we know that judiciary is very important, and we're reaching out to them, we are appealing to also know that there are several structural reforms that need to take place and we are working to them.
The government has been criticized for trampling on the rights of accused individuals or disobeying court orders. Mohammed differed.
He said: «What are we even talking about? Is the human right of the 55 persons more important than human rights of 170 Nigerians? But again, I want to make it clear that we do not disobey court orders».
When prodded to supply info on the 55 individuals, he explained the simplest method would be to attend the EFCC or the court to find out who they are as they have one pending case or the other in the court bordering on corruption.
«On our own component too, we make sure that when the management of legal justice is actualised, it'll cut down the amount of time it takes now to prosecute a case because under that law, I believe the maximum time allowed for adjournment is two.»
