Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) – Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed that his administration would trace the accounts of individuals who stashed away ill-gotten oil money, freeze and recover the loot and prosecute the culprits.
President Buhari made the vow Tuesday during his meeting in Washington, DC, with Nigerians in the Diaspora, as part of his ongoing official visit to the US, according to the Nigerian presidency.
The President, who was elected on the strength of his avowed promise to fight corruption and insecurity, as well as to turn around the country’s foundering economy, lamented that “corruption in Nigeria has virtually developed into a culture where honest people are abused”.
He disclosed that ”250,000 barrels per day of Nigerian crude are being stolen and people sell and put the money into individual accounts,” adding that the United States and other developed countries “are helping us to trace such accounts now”.
”We will ask that such accounts be frozen and prosecute the persons. The amount involved is mind-boggling. Some former ministers were selling about one million barrels per day. I assure you that we will trace and repatriate such money and use the documents to prosecute them. A lot of damage has been done to the integrity of Nigeria with individuals and institutions already compromised,” the President said.
On security, the President said he would negotiate the release of the Chibok school girls if genuine and confirmed leaders of the Boko Haram militant sect came forward and convinced the government of the current conditions of the girls, their location and the sect’s willingness to negotiate.
“Our objective is that we want the girls back, alive and returned to their families and rehabilitated. We are working with neighbouring countries if they will help,” he said.
The President acknowledged being nicknamed “Baba Go Slow” because of his delay in naming his cabinet, but insisted he will go ”slow and steady”.
He called for patience to allow the new administration “put some sense into governance and deal with corruption.”
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