Sack corrupt aides to save anti-corruption crusade, group tells Buhari

The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack persons in his cabinet that have corruptly enriched themselves.

In a statement by its Executive Director, Comrade Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, CHRICED said it is seriously concerned about emerging revelations of corruption and abuse of office at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).

It premised its position on the briefing note submitted to the National Assembly by the immediate past Acting Director-General of NIA, Mr. Mohammed Dauda.“President Muhammadu Buhari must ensure that heads begin to roll immediately to salvage his administration’s anti-corruption crusade. For key and trusted appointees of the President to be fingered in the kind of egregious abuse of office that have been detailed by the former Acting Director-General, is to say the least, most damaging to the anti-graft war.

“It is strange that some of the characters that have become synonymous with serious abuse of their official positions, as the President’s trusted appointees, have again been identified as the alleged perpetrators of these despicable acts at the NIA.“For instance, the President’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari who has continually been alleged to be involved in various corruption scandals is reported to be the mastermind of the attempt to steal $44m recovered from the Ikoyi house of former head of NIA, Mr. Ayo Oke.

“The same Abba Kyari is alleged to be involved in other monumental scandals, including the non-remittance of funds generated by NNPC to the Treasury Single Account (TSA), and the shady deals, which were reported to have been designed to help telecoms giant, MTN, escape the fine slammed on it by the government.”

The group said another issue that has come out clearly from the situation at the NIA is the fact that there are many who have been given serious national assignments, who see those important duties as opportunities to enrich themselves.

“A clear instance is the presidential panel chaired by Baba Gana Kingibe, which the President appointed to scrutinise the NIA and make recommendations, especially after the Ikoyi dollar scandal. That some key members of that panel, including the Chairman, Baba Gana Kingibe, were allegedly pressuring the former Acting Head of the Agency to convert public monies for their personal use goes to show the depth of decay they further sought to inflict on the agency.”