The reported
comment attributed to the Prime Minister of UK, Mr. David Cameron, that Nigeria
is ‘fantastically corrupt’ as the International Conference on Anti-corruption
is going on has divided the opinion of Nigerians with some calling for head of
the UK PM and vilifying him for speaking the obvious!
The Coalition
Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL is towing a different line on this and takes the
position that Mr. Cameron’s comment stems from the reality that Nigeria is
indeed profoundly corrupt which justifies the fierce fight the President
Muhammadu Buhari-led government is prosecuting against corruption.
We view the
comment not as an attack on Nigeria or the President, but as an honest comment
on the corrupt system that have subsisted and characterized even several
regimes before the present administration in Nigeria. The fact is that the UK
has even been more helpful than harmful in the fight against corruption in the
country. For instance, it took the UK to be able to make James Ibori to answer
for some of his very outrageous corruption crimes against the background of him
having escaped about 171 charges of corruption in Nigeria by maneuvering
through the judicial system.
The immediate
past Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Allison Madueke is currently facing
corruption charges in the UK, an individual who also was on the run from justice;
a fugitive from justice in Britain, Diepreye Alamesiagha was granted state
pardon in Nigeria, another fugitive from justice in the same Britain is
spending his third term in the Senate and we think Mr. Cameron is ‘insulting’
us?!
CACOL sees
Cameron’s assessment as being informed by what had happened in Nigeria in the
past; events in the past such as the Halliburton and Siemens scandals, the
police pension scam, the power project scam, the Security and Exchange Commission
scam and others. legislating for good
people of Nigeria? Is not fantastic that an ex-convict in Britain came back to
Nigeria to become a powerful governor? Is it not fantastic that the same man is
now back in Britain as a guest of her majesty over similar corruption charges
he had been discharged and acquitted in Nigeria?
Rather than whimpering
and engaging in hypocritical patriotism, Nigerians should introspect and
confront the reality of how badly corruption has eaten into the fabric of our
National life. We cannot afford to be hiding behind a finger, covering our
faces when our behinds are in the full glare of the world, which would amount
to nothing but plain absurdity!
While
acknowledging the somewhat sarcastic statement of the UK PM and understanding
the context, CACOL’s response is to draw the attention of the UK and its Prime
Minister to some cogent issues on the anti-corruption drive in Nigeria as they
have to do with the United Kingdom and other countries at the anti-corruption
conference beyond trivialities and ‘mocking’.
First, we call
on the United Kingdom as host of the ongoing international anti-corruption
conference and other World Leaders at the ongoing anti-corruption conference to
extract a commitment from President Muhammadu Buhari to re-open and resume of
action on the Halliburton and Siemens bribery scandals that indicted several
former Heads of Nigerian government, some of their spouses and other prominent
leaders in Nigeria with a view of bringing the culpable among them to book.
The United
Kingdom and other participating countries should as a matter of urgency play
similar roles that Germany and others countries linked with international scams
that have helped exposed those involved and even applied punitive against their
nationals that were collaborators in the scam.
The re-opening
and resumption of activities on the Halliburton and Siemens bribery scandals
with the aim of bringing those culpable in the bribery and money laundering
scandals to book is very imperative to proving the anti-corruption war being
led by President Buhari to be profound enough.
The background to the Halliburton and Siemens
scandal to remind all, is about a reported settlement agreement with reached the
federal government November 22, 2010, under which Siemens will pay 7 billion
Nigerian Naira (approx. $46.5 million) to the Nigerian Government in exchange
for the EFCC dropping charges against Siemens AG, Siemens Nig Ltd and four of
its officers. The settlement payment was variously described as
“restitution” and “disgorgement”.
In connection with the TSKJ/Bonny Island bribery
matter, on November 25, 2010, it was reported that the EFCC arrested ten
Halliburton employees in Nigeria during a raid of the offices of Halliburton
Energy Services Nigeria Limited in Lagos, as well as one employee each from
Saipem Contracting Nigeria and Technip Offshore Nigeria. On December 7,
2010, the EFCC reportedly filed corruption charges against Halliburton, former
U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney (who was the CEO of Halliburton during the
period at issue), Albert Stanley (former CEO of KBR), David Lesar (current CEO
of Halliburton) and William Utt (current CEO of KBR). Technip,
Snamprogetti and JGC Corporation were reportedly also charged on the same
day. The case reference was Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Halliburton
and others, CV/435/10, High Court of Justice, Abuja Judicial Division (Abuja).
We call on World leaders at the conference
particularly countries where loots stolen from Nigeria are being stashed help
facilitate the repatriating the loots. We urge other countries to be proactive
by emulating the UK in helping Nigeria fight corruption as demonstrated in the
manner the Dipreye, Ibori, Diezani and others’ cases were handled and are being
handled.
“Name, Nail, Shame and Shun
Corrupt Leaders Anywhere, Everywhere”.
Signed
Debo Adeniran
Executive Chairman, CACOL
08037194969
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