BUHARI ORDERS AGENCIES TO PUBLISH NAMES OF LOOTERS
BUHARI ORDERS AGENCIES TO PUBLISH NAMES OF LOOTERS
President Muhammadu Buhari, has
directed all relevant agencies to compile documents on names of all suspected
looters.
This was disclosed by the Attorney
General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abukabar Malami, SAN, during
a meeting at his office in Abuja with a delegation from Social-Economic Rights
and Accountability Project, SERAP.
He said, “President Muhammadu Buhari
has directed all relevant agencies to compile documents on names of all looters
with a view to promptly enforcing the judgment of a Federal High Court in Lagos
ordering the government to release to Nigerians information about the names of
high ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered.”
This development was disclosed on
Thursday in a statement by SERAP Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni.
Mumuni said, “We had a very
productive meeting with Mr Malami, discussing among other critical issues the
need for the government to obey the judgment delivered in July by Hon Justice
Hadiza Rabiu Shagari following a Freedom of Information suit number:
FHC/CS/964/2016 brought by SERAP.
“Mr Malami informed us that President
Buhari has directed the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Finance, Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other
Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and other relevant agencies involved in the
recovery of looted funds to promptly put the documents together with a view to
fully and promptly enforcing the judgment by Justice Shagari.”
“We appreciate the opportunity to
meet with the Attorney General of the Federation and look forward to working
with him as the government strives to enforce this very important judgment. We
hope that the implementation of the judgment will now happen sooner rather than
later.
“We believe that effectively
implementing the judgment will be a victory for the rule of law, show the way forward
in the fight against corruption and impunity of perpetrators in the country, as
well as demonstrate Buhari’s oft-repeated commitment to tackling the problem of
grand corruption.
“It would be recalled that the SERAP
suit followed disclosure last year by the Federal Government of funds recovered
from some high-ranking public officials and private individuals.
“In her judgment delivered on 5th
July 2017 Justice Shagari agreed with SERAP that “the Federal Government has
legally binding obligations to tell Nigerians the names of all suspected
looters of the public treasury past and present.
Joined as Defendants in the suit are
the Minister of Information Alhaji Lai Muhammed and the Federal Ministry of
Information and Culture.
The same day that the judgment was
delivered, Mr Malami told reporters in Abuja that government was in agreement
with the ruling and would carry out the order as long as it does not amount to
subjudice.
