…lauds CBN Special Investigator, Obazee on exposure of misdeeds

As the authorities explore avenues to ameliorate the hardship being faced by Nigerians, the coalition for Transparency and Economic Reforms (COTER) has charged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure the recovery of stolen funds and properties from those found wanting of commiting the infractions.

The coalition made up of 259 anti graft outfits also stressed the need by President Tinubu to order the immediate handing over of all the indicted persons and entities to anti-graft agencies for immediate trial.

COTER’s President, Dr Peter Chima Chukwu and General Secretary, Mallam Auta Ibrahim Koko, in a statement argued that recovered monies would come handy to the President Tinubu led administration in ameliorating the hardship faced by Nigerians.

COTER warned indicted persons to stop playing on the collective intelligence of Nigerians with their puerile defence of billions of naira looted from the nation’s treasury.

The anti graft activists were reacting to the allegations of high-handedness, undue intimidation and witch-hunt by some top CBN officials and commercial banks executives by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Special Investigator, Mr Jim Obazee and his team, whose mandate they alleged had since expired.

COTER stressed that the defence of the frauds and stealing of public funds by various indicted persons by faceless individuals and groups masquerading as patriots should be completely disregarded by the President.

COTER said, “Indicted persons’ tactics to put up unnecessary defence are aimed at shifting the blame on former President Buhari to escape prosecution and recovery of looted funds from them. Infact, it’s all clear cases of corruption fighting back.

“All they are doing now is mere damage control. Unfortunately, it won’t fly with the Nigerian people, Government and the international community. They must all account for all their sins and transgressions against the Nigerian people.

“President Tinubu must not allow this matter to be swept under the carpet, Nigerian people and the international community are watching to see the outcome of all the investigations and how the report of the Special Investigator will be implemented.”

COTER further commended the Special Investigator, Obazee, for a job well done.

The Coalition, which also gave kudos to President Tinubu for his courage, determination and tenacity, recommended Obazee for a special national honours and award for successfully discharging the onerous, dangerous and delicate national duty thrusted upon him by the President without entertaining any fear for his life.

It added, “Obazee should be singled out by the President as an incorruptible Nigerian who is sacrificing his personal pleasure, liberty to carry out the dangerous national assignment of investigating the rot at the CBN under Emefiele. Obazee is a selfless individual who should be highly commended and recognised for all his sacrifices. Inspite of all the threats to his life and that of his family members by the agents of the corrupt people he’s investigating, he has remained unshaken and undeterred in carrying out his assignment.

“We commend the Federal Government for fishing Obazee out for the job and we urge the President to adequately appreciate him with a special National honour/award.

“The Special Investigator should also be considered for higher national assignments because we have the confidence in him, that he’ll always deliver. Nigeria should not make the mistake of allowing other countries, international agencies and organisations who are watching events in Nigeria now with keen interest to snatch Obazee away from us. Nigeria seriously needs Obazee at this moment of our journey as a nation.”

It stated that President Tinubu should have expected the current fight back by corruption through the campaign of calumny now being launched against the person and office of the CBN Special Investigator, Jim Obazee.

The group however said no matter how highly placed these individuals and groups behind the attack on Obazee are, the President should discountenance their “inappropriate requests and demands for the head of the Special Investigator” who had been conscientious in the national assignment given him to unearth the monumental corruption perpetrated by corrupt officials in the CBN and other government business entities in the past years.

COTER also urged President Tinubu to warn Presidency officials and other top Federal Government functionaries to steer clear of what the Special Investigator has been doing successfully since his appointment, which involves handling the very delicate and dangerous national assignment of investigating and recovery all the funds looted by powerful individuals from the CBN and other Government agencies.