Shocking corruption reports coming, says govt
Ritics of the Muhammadu Buhari government'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 disclosures in the 2015 and 2014 report, which will be not yet been released.
Mohammed raised the alarm that treasury looters had resorted to fighting back, using various means.
However he assured the country that the administration isn't going to give in to their own distractions.
The authorities, he said, has achieved what it set out to reach, which is to sensitise Nigerians to the evil of corruption.
He explained: «Well, I will let you know today that corruption is already fighting back, which is fighting hard and dirty. Sponsored posts have begun appearing in the newspapers and in the social media while 'Talking Heads' have started making the rounds in the electronic media deriding the fight against corruption as good as this Administration. Not stopping there, they've been creating distractions by sponsoring posts label the President a budding fascist to deride the Government's policies typically and also write off his 2016 budget. We know the only objective of these assaults is to distract attention in the war on corruption.
»It is saddening that some otherwise credible voices have unwittingly let themselves to be railroaded to the bandwagon of pro-corruption orchestra. They engage in sophistry to attempt to muster Nigerians against the anti-corruption battle. One hack writer even said the disclosure that 55 Nigerians allegedly stole N1.34 trillion between 2006 and 2013 failed to trigger any fury among Nigerians! A disclosure that made the front page in more than a dozen Aggregated Nigerian News Site papers, played broadly in the international media and brought the attention of the world's most effective nation and world-wide financial institutions are unable to be dismissed with a wave of the hand.
«Additionally, one of individuals 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 attacks are not about to cease. In the days ahead, they will be much more extreme and much more organized the truth is. But the great news is the fact that we are winning the war. Nigerians are now talking about corruption. Nigerians are actually counting the cost of corruption for their 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 only at that Government, But we don't have any doubt that Nigerians are discerning enough to know 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 distracted nor intimidated by anyone into giving up or weakening the struggle 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 assaults. The pseudo-analyzers and hack writers will labour in vain in heir quest to stop the train of the anti-corruption fight.»
The minister said the info on corruption was meant to sensitise the country on the evil of corruption.
«Let me restate, for emphasis, that when we give instances of mind-boggling acts of corruption, our objective isn't to vilify anyone but to sensitise Nigerians as to how harmful corruption is to the country and also the folks. The truth is that what we now have revealed so far is just the tip of the iceberg. Nigerians should stay tuned for more shocking revelations in the days ahead.»
The minister said the information he supplied to know if it was authentic or not should be investigated by them, for those questioning the claims.
«Let us talk more regarding the price of corruption. Have you ever seen that whereas the national budget in Nigeria has grown from just over N900 billion in 1999 to finished N6 trillion in 2016, poverty has additionally increased nearly by the same proportion? The reason is not far fetched: Appropriated funds have mostly ended up in the pockets of a few looters.»
He added: «Do you realize 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 really is the cost of corruption for you personally.
The final result is that the roads will not be constructed and the people suffer as well as die in road accidents that are avoidable, when the cash meant to assemble roads is looted. When the cash designed to provide electricity is looted, we all are perpetually sentenced to darkness. When a few pocket the cash meant for healthcare, we are not able to reduce infant and maternal mortality. All these really are the costs of corruption. Let us not only talk about corruption in the abstract, let us be counting its price to our lives in order to drive home the point that corruption should be tackled decisively for Nigerians to feel the effect of governing.»
Mohammed spoke of two courts of corruption — the court of public opinion and the court of law. «The court of public opinion is also as important as the court of law,» he said.
On the aspects he gave on alleged treasury looters didn't include 1999-2005, he clarified that only intervals were covered by the compilation when the anti-corruption law became fully operational and that was around 2006.
The minister said by Muhammadu Buhari the time the details of 2015 and 2014 are released, the country will likely be shocked.
His words: «When we make subsequent disclosures, you'll be more shocked than you are now.»
The government was criticized for trampling on the rights of accused people or disobeying court orders. Mohammed disagreed.
He explained: «What are we even talking about? Is the human right of the 55 individuals more important than human rights of 170 Nigerians? But again, I want to make it clear that we usually do not disobey court orders».
When prodded to supply information on the 55 persons, he said the easiest way is to attend the EFCC or the court to find out who they're as they all have one pending case or the other in the court bordering on corruption.
He also decried the scenario where it takes about seven or more years to prosecute the «so called strong» individuals.
On the function 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 struggle as a national effort.
He said " and I can guarantee you that we have made a demonstration And Also the judiciary is willing and ready to collaborate with us. So we realize that judiciary is vital, and we are reaching out to them, we are appealing to realize that there are several structural reforms that need to take place and they are being worked to by us.
«On our own part too, we make sure when the administration of legal justice is actualised, it'll reduce the period of time it takes now to prosecute a case because under that law, I believe the maximum time allowed for adjournment is two.»
Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed said Nigerians needs to be ready for more mind boggling disclosures in the 2015 and 2014 report, which will be not yet been released.
Mohammed raised the alarm that treasury looters had resorted to fighting back, using various means.
However he assured the country that the administration isn't going to give in to their own distractions.
The authorities, he said, has achieved what it set out to reach, which is to sensitise Nigerians to the evil of corruption.
He explained: «Well, I will let you know today that corruption is already fighting back, which is fighting hard and dirty. Sponsored posts have begun appearing in the newspapers and in the social media while 'Talking Heads' have started making the rounds in the electronic media deriding the fight against corruption as good as this Administration. Not stopping there, they've been creating distractions by sponsoring posts label the President a budding fascist to deride the Government's policies typically and also write off his 2016 budget. We know the only objective of these assaults is to distract attention in the war on corruption.
»It is saddening that some otherwise credible voices have unwittingly let themselves to be railroaded to the bandwagon of pro-corruption orchestra. They engage in sophistry to attempt to muster Nigerians against the anti-corruption battle. One hack writer even said the disclosure that 55 Nigerians allegedly stole N1.34 trillion between 2006 and 2013 failed to trigger any fury among Nigerians! A disclosure that made the front page in more than a dozen Aggregated Nigerian News Site papers, played broadly in the international media and brought the attention of the world's most effective nation and world-wide financial institutions are unable to be dismissed with a wave of the hand.
«Additionally, one of individuals 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 attacks are not about to cease. In the days ahead, they will be much more extreme and much more organized the truth is. But the great news is the fact that we are winning the war. Nigerians are now talking about corruption. Nigerians are actually counting the cost of corruption for their 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 only at that Government, But we don't have any doubt that Nigerians are discerning enough to know 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 distracted nor intimidated by anyone into giving up or weakening the struggle 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 assaults. The pseudo-analyzers and hack writers will labour in vain in heir quest to stop the train of the anti-corruption fight.»
The minister said the info on corruption was meant to sensitise the country on the evil of corruption.
«Let me restate, for emphasis, that when we give instances of mind-boggling acts of corruption, our objective isn't to vilify anyone but to sensitise Nigerians as to how harmful corruption is to the country and also the folks. The truth is that what we now have revealed so far is just the tip of the iceberg. Nigerians should stay tuned for more shocking revelations in the days ahead.»
The minister said the information he supplied to know if it was authentic or not should be investigated by them, for those questioning the claims.
«Let us talk more regarding the price of corruption. Have you ever seen that whereas the national budget in Nigeria has grown from just over N900 billion in 1999 to finished N6 trillion in 2016, poverty has additionally increased nearly by the same proportion? The reason is not far fetched: Appropriated funds have mostly ended up in the pockets of a few looters.»
He added: «Do you realize 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 really is the cost of corruption for you personally.
The final result is that the roads will not be constructed and the people suffer as well as die in road accidents that are avoidable, when the cash meant to assemble roads is looted. When the cash designed to provide electricity is looted, we all are perpetually sentenced to darkness. When a few pocket the cash meant for healthcare, we are not able to reduce infant and maternal mortality. All these really are the costs of corruption. Let us not only talk about corruption in the abstract, let us be counting its price to our lives in order to drive home the point that corruption should be tackled decisively for Nigerians to feel the effect of governing.»
Mohammed spoke of two courts of corruption — the court of public opinion and the court of law. «The court of public opinion is also as important as the court of law,» he said.
On the aspects he gave on alleged treasury looters didn't include 1999-2005, he clarified that only intervals were covered by the compilation when the anti-corruption law became fully operational and that was around 2006.
The minister said by Muhammadu Buhari the time the details of 2015 and 2014 are released, the country will likely be shocked.
His words: «When we make subsequent disclosures, you'll be more shocked than you are now.»
The government was criticized for trampling on the rights of accused people or disobeying court orders. Mohammed disagreed.
He explained: «What are we even talking about? Is the human right of the 55 individuals more important than human rights of 170 Nigerians? But again, I want to make it clear that we usually do not disobey court orders».
When prodded to supply information on the 55 persons, he said the easiest way is to attend the EFCC or the court to find out who they're as they all have one pending case or the other in the court bordering on corruption.
He also decried the scenario where it takes about seven or more years to prosecute the «so called strong» individuals.
On the function 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 struggle as a national effort.
He said " and I can guarantee you that we have made a demonstration And Also the judiciary is willing and ready to collaborate with us. So we realize that judiciary is vital, and we are reaching out to them, we are appealing to realize that there are several structural reforms that need to take place and they are being worked to by us.
«On our own part too, we make sure when the administration of legal justice is actualised, it'll reduce the period of time it takes now to prosecute a case because under that law, I believe the maximum time allowed for adjournment is two.»