Return Nigeria’s stolen assets, Buhari tells UK
Nigeria does not need any apology from the United Kingdom, but a return of all its stolen assets stashed away in Britain and its Crown territories, Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari said on Wednesday in London.
Buhari spoke in London at the Tackling Corruption Together Conference ahead of the International Anti-Corruption Summit to be hosted on Thursday by British Prime Minister David Cameron.
“All I will demand is return of assets. What would I do with apology? I need something tangible,” Buhari said less than 24 hours after the publication of a video which shows Cameron describing Nigeria and Afghanistan as the two most corrupt countries in the world.
“Unfortunately, repatriating stolen assets is tedious, time-consuming, costly. It entails more than just signing of bilateral agreements.”
In an earlier response to the Cameron’s comments, Nigeria’s presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, said the country was embarrassed by the comments and noted that it did not reflect present realities.
“This is embarrassing to us, to us say the least, given the good work that the President is doing. The eyes of the world are on what is happening here. The Prime Minister must be looking at an old snapshot of Nigeria. Things are changing with corruption and everything else,” Shehu said in a message posted on social media.
However, Buhari insisted that Nigeria was ready to partner with the UK in order to combat corruption. He hoped the two countries would be able to agree on rules-based architecture to combat corruption at the end of the Summit on Thursday.
” I call for establishment of an anti-corruption infrastructure that will trace and return stolen assets to their countries of origin.
“Corruption does not differentiate between developed and developing countries. It is serious threat to good governance, peace and security.”
He re-emphasised his government’s zero tolerance for corruption and would fight the ‘monster’, “even if many feathers would be ruffled.”
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39 Comments
Buhari u are a thief what are u going to do with the money go and collect the ones with Jagaban and Amechi u bloody thief. Fighting corruption indeed.
Check 2016 budget and see how he captured recovered funds. And like PMB said during ministerial appointment, just tell me any of my nominee who is in court on corruption charges and I will drop the person. So all ur name callin I just a waste of time. Just like Malik is a fraud. Still suffering from election defeat I can see when even GEJ has moved on. Wake up and pray for Nigeria,its success is all we wish for even if it comes from the devil
Well said Bishop…..Malik there’s no need to call the president names. Nigeria belongs to all of us and we should all put aside sentiments and appreciate the good works the man is doing. #myopinion
Everyone has an agenda. The people who support how PMB is handling this matter have said that their’s is for things to get better for all Nigerians. The people who oppose him have not said what they will gain from opposing him so personally. Perhaps, they can enlighten this forum so we can discuss.
if you are a member of APC, you will not be in court, so you are free to loot!
But, why are people responding to this boy comments when it is obvious that he sitting on his brain.
@malik go and have your brain scan, if you have evident against these people you are welcome
Who will prove the evidences? Who provided the ones being used by Buhari to persecute PDP memebers? Chronic hypocrites!
#gbagaun!
U kept quiet all this while,and all of a sudden u spoke out cos of d gbagaun? U remind me of a friend though
Think b4 u show ur tribalistic utterance
I`m disappointed in this type of comment though everyone is entitled to it`s opinion but calling President name was out of order. However, any patriotic Nigeria should be worried the way last government were sharing our resources and commend the President on systematic ways of recovering the loots.
Please, ignore a simpleton and don’t be disappointed of that type. Every societies have them including here in America.
You must be plain stupid, a stupid and irresponsible president that said on bbc interview that Nigerians are ciminals, no wonder it is easy for Cameron to refer to Nigeria’s political class as ‘fantastically corrupt’. Animals and bunch of illiterates who are just running around like headless chicken with no policy or direction for Nigeria. You can support the imbeciles, but mind you an illiterate that became president with corrupt and looted money cannot said he is fighting corruption will he take Thiefnubus bombadier that fly him round Nigeria for campaign or 24 different companies he started with Lagos loots or will he prosecute the useless vice-president that signed all the Lagos states land and properties to Thiefnubu when he was attorney general of Lagos state, pot calling kettle black.
Garba Shehu you said is embarrassing comment and who are the course, and why now seeing it as embarrassed comments.You leaders of Nigeria should have change in heart to kill these kind of comment since it embarrassing to you the leaders
Does PMB think corruption will just disappear in Nigeria bcos he’s now the president? Does he also think d fact dat he was said to av tagged most Nigerians living abroad criminals wouldn’t also aggravate the national rating. Cameron may av just echoed his impressions about us.
Hi Biyi, you are no doubt an intelligent person. PMB does not think corruption will disappear in Nigeria because he is the president. He has said that it that if WE don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill US. it means we all must support the efforts of PMB to kill corruption. PMB has just told the world in London that he is not asking for apology from any one but that Britain should return the assets of Nigeria looted and kept in Britain by corrupt Nigerians being accommodated in Britain to boost British economy. Please think on that statement of PMB, you will agree with me that he simply told the British prime minister David Cameron that he is aiding and abetting corruption in other words he himself (David Cameron) is corrupt by accepting proceed of corruption to boost his country’s economy.
Good comment Bishop. Some Nigerians do not know how to use the social media constructively and that’s why the likes of Malik and Biyi will speak the way they just did. Besides Biyi, why are you so pessimistic about Nigeria getting better some day? It is not about the President, it’s about every citizen of this country working together to bring about a positive change. Be positive…
Nigeria was founded and built on faulty foundation. Nigeria is a melting pot of centripetal and centrifugal forces contending. Buhari should tell UK where he got money to fund his campaign, if he is sincere in anti corruption fight.
What a stupid statement ” Buhari should tell UK” . Buhari is a proud Nigeria leader and he has answered Cameron statement concerning Nigeria. Whether anybody like it or not, Buhari administration is committed to fighting corruption to a logical conclusion.
It shows how stupid people like you are, that you are blinded by idiocracy. Do you think western powers are stupid like you dumbs been fooled by fight against corruption by people that get to power through corruption and stolen money from Lagos, Rivers, Osun, Edo states staffs salaries with free ride in Thiefnubus bombadier bought with stolen money. Please when the Association of Present/Past Criminals (APC) finish fooling you and other dumbs in Nigeria many of the criminals will staill be smiling to bank. Since Thiefnubu alone after 8 years of looting Lagos state have N1.5trillion naira properties/ 24 companies in his family’s name.
You don’t know anything about western countries because you have not experience their working, their thinking at a close proximity l am currently leaving it and still learning the act of deceit. Again, Buhari gave answer that they were not expecting.
All Nigerians know the problems of the country but never present practical solution. Rather than to support the president to solve hydra headed disease that is ravaging the country, they politicize it so as to discredit fight against corruption. Saraki stated in court that he has more money than a state yet nobody knows the source of the money and no question asked.
You are a liar, everybody who happens to be a Nigerian should know that Saraki Bukolas father is more or less a billionaire, so ask your self and other dumb idiots supporting this fools in power if Thiefnubus father or mother has a million naira in account when they died not to talk of the fact that Thiefnibu and his wife are drug pusher that forfeit $1.5million dollars to FBI in 1989. So ask yourself how he now worth 1.5 trillion naira with about 24 companies after eight years as Lagos governor if he did not loot Lagos.
Young man, did you know the history of Saraki family ? Saraki’s father came to Nigeria after completing his Medical school in 1961 and married a woman from offin in Lagos which gave birth to Bukola. That is all l am going to tell you.
As for Tinubu and FBI, you don’t know what you are writing about and l will not waste my time to dignify it.
My brothers I am not a politician I don’t know Jonathan nor buhari there are petitions in the efcc office against some apc governors not attended to. Let me tell Nigerians something till will stop blaming other people and tell ourselves the truth we will not grow. I am never against probing but will need to do it the right way.
Juanita don’t let this corrupt leaders deceive u to change this country from bad to good is not in ur hands but their hands. If America government do not enforce the law America will be worse than Nigeria.
That statement u made is part of their lies
Malik, i also belief that there are better ways of pushing your positions than calling the President names. Better if you check this for the benefit of only you.
I think it is high time we put sentiment aside and support our leaders if need be and tackle them together if required. As it is now, the present Government has shown reasons why he needs our support, what is reasonable now is to give it!
What support are you giving to a president that was sponsored with stolen and looted money. Are you Nigerians serious at all? Will the dumb and illiterates running the country be able to even get anything out of Thirfnubu that was penniless in 1989 through his forfieting $1.5million dollars of his drug money to FBI. Who is now worth N1.5 trillion naira, ask yourself what type of business he did in the last 8 years to be that rich before you start supporting robbers.
Seeing PM Cameron making jest of the “fantastically corrupt nations” is a huge joke of the year. Yet they keep the proceeds of corruption. Let PMB fight on. Let them return the stolen funds. That is the better way to fight corruption.
sorry for Nigerians, ethnic, religious and party sentiments can never allow Nigerians to speak from realistic point of view. Can’t we see that the entire world knows that President Buhari and his team are all hypocrites emerging from a party called Association of Past Criminals – A.P.C? The sincerity of purpose in David Cameron’s speech was emphatically that of “a man who is disappointed to know that his best friend keeps criminals as his friends and yet tries to claim to fight crime”. Who is deceiving who? Is it the leaders deceiving the people or the people deceiving themselves on media pages? Nigerians cannot support such a hypocritical vindictive claim of fighting corruption. Buhari’s campaign money came from past leaders who looted the country and I think he should start his corruption from thence.
How can a corruption himself fight corruption? The truth is that this man PMB cannot give what he don’t have that all.
Oga PMB, am still in Nigeria watching you and your holy teams fighting corruption. Lols!
Blind people
absolutely trash jiving!
PMB is the remedy Nigerans have been waitng for. Salvation from the looting maschine called nigerian politricksters – from Shagari adminstration to GMB. three and a half (3,5) decades of insatiable pilfering and sensless looting. Little wonder we are were we are today. The british prime minister was only stating the obvious. He doesn’t need to apologize for speaking the truth.
I agree with Mr. President. at this stage Nigeria does not need an apology and If Mr. Cameron and his government really want to help Nigeria, before the next British parliament his government should make sure all stolen money in British banks, all properties bought by Nigerian corrupt politicians around expensive parts of London should be investigated and if documentation is out of place, sold and money returned to Nigeria with out taking any tax.
In addition any artifacts belonging to Nigeria in British museums should also be returned.
Let’s leave Niger for a minute. If Afganistan is so corrupt why has or did Britain refuse to leave that country for so long?, Hmmm! are we sure it’s not the opium trade.
if jona has done half of what PMB is doing now ,Nigeria will not be this bad.even the abacha recovered loot was relooted by his associates in government.the fact that some suspected criminals have not been caught does not mean that those who are caught should start complaining.there is time for everything under the sun.let it be known that the BUHARI govt did start probing the PDP campaing funds for election,but the diverted funds meant for arms procurement to fight boko haram,which was discovered to be used for campaing purpose while fellow citizens like you and me were been killed and their proprteis been destroyed by terrorrist in a most brazen fashion.corruption fight must start somehow and somewere,and it must start with those who have clearly squandered,mismanage,misappropriate and looted our common patrimony to the point that the future of nigerian generations yet unborn have been mortgage.i speak as nigerian not as politician.
Angry People’s Comments, APC
What would Buhari do with words? Send back the stolen money white collar thieves!
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