By Our Reader
In the last three or four weeks, the Nigerian news media have been awash with stories of recovered loot that was either abandoned at airports or hidden in shopping complexes or residential buildings. Also, the Minister of Information, National Orientation and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, revealed that the looters had more money in their possession than all the tiers of government in the country.
The Minister was quoted as saying, “It is now obvious that there are more funds in the possession of looters than are available to government at all levels to meet their obligations including paying workers’ salaries, providing social amenities, upgrading infrastructure and ensuring the security of lives and property. As the looters continue to run helter- skelter, many of them are even abandoning their booty at unusual places, including airports”
In recording these outstanding successes in the loot- recovery drive that is being championed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, kudos should be given to members of the public who have secretly provided the badly needed information that led to the discovery of the places where such loot was kept, in line with the whistle-blowing policy adopted by the Federal Government.
In spite of this laudable development, some concerned Nigerians have repeatedly warned that the recovered loot might be stolen again, if care is not taken. And this kind of fear is not unfounded.
For example, it is an open secret that about 50 per cent of the money recovered from the family of late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure in office, was allegedly stolen through the office of the then National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd.), under the guise of buying arms and ammunition in order to equip our security forces, especially the Nigerian Army, to fight Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East. This is the major reason why Dasuki is still standing trial today, although there may be other charges against him.
In order to allay this fear, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has given the assurance that, in the future, recovered loot will not be stolen again. She emphasised that such forfeited loot will be used to fund the nation’s annual budget.
Although many Nigerians agree with the minister, they express the candid opinion that the recovered loot should be separated from the normal budgeting system of the nation so that the money will not be subjected to attempted budget-padding.
In other words, the recovered money should be kept in a special account with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the updates of its balance should be in the public domain from time to time. Also, such money should not be used by the government to pursue White Elephant, which would certainly not lead to improvements in the deplorable living standards of the citizens.
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