Transparency International seeks probity in Nigeria’s anti-corruption crusade

Global anti-corruption body, Transparency International (TI), has called on the Federal Government to strengthen all institutions championing the fight against corruption in Nigeria to be transparent on assets recovery.

Director of Africa for Transparency International, Chantal Uwimana, said though government had announced recovery of more than $10 billion in looted cash and assets, she added that the agencies need to speed up the process of investigation so that the suspects can be formally charged and their identities made public.

“The people of Nigeria are suffering from the economic downturn. They need to know that the government is using all of its resources to benefit public services. This requires a serious crackdown on corruption, as well as transparency when it comes to how recovered stolen assets will be used. Words are not enough.

“We need to know who stole the money and when they will be brought to justice. There should be no impunity for the corrupt.

“We want to see progress on this in Nigeria and with the law enforcement authorities in other countries. This is not a problem specific to Nigeria. The global financial system has to tackle this by holding the enablers of corruption – the lawyers, bankers, accountants for example – to account,” she stated.

According to Uwimana, the judicial process should be expedited so that the funds can be released and made available for public spending, stressing that the recent trip of President Muhammadu Buhari to LoLondo was committed to the transparency and accountable management of stolen assets and greater cooperation to uncover and stop international enablers of corruption in the global financial system.