Buhari said the trial would begin “in a matter of weeks.”
The President spoke while addressing
members of the National Peace Committee, led by a former military Head
of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
“Those who have stolen the national
wealth will be in court in a matter of weeks and Nigerians will know
those who have short-changed them,” the President told his guests.
But the committee, which Buhari has
transformed into the National Peace Council, also told the President to
remember that Nigeria was no longer under military rule and that he
should follow due process in the trial of suspected looters.
A statement by Buhari’s Special Adviser
on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, quoted the President as
telling Abubakar and members of his committee that his administration
was irrevocably committed to doing all within its powers to break the
vicious cycle of corruption, unemployment and insecurity in Nigeria.
“Nigeria has to break this vicious cycle before we can make progress,” the President said.
He added that his administration had
been gathering facts and figures pertaining to the nation’s stolen funds
and that identified culprits would be prosecuted.
Buhari also told members of the
committee that the Federal Government, under his leadership, would not
only ask for the return of stolen funds but also ensure that those who
stole the funds were put on trial.
He said a single treasury account had
been established for all federal revenues to ensure greater probity,
transparency and accountability in the collection, disbursement and
utilisation of national funds.
Buhari said, “We have really degenerated
as a country. Our national institutions, including the military, which
did wonderfully on foreign missions in the past, have been compromised.
But we are doing something about it. The military is now retraining and
morale has been resuscitated.
“As petroleum minister under Gen.
Olusegun Obasanjo in the 1970s, I could not travel abroad until I had
taken a memo to the Federal Executive Council, asking for estacode. Now,
everybody does what he wants.
“That is why security-wise and economically, we’re in trouble.”
Abubakar and members of his committee
urged the Federal Government to be guided by the rule of law in its
fight against corruption.
A member of the committee, who is also
the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Kukah, spoke with State
House correspondents at the end of the closed-door meeting with the
President.
The clergyman said, “It (the way corruption war is being fought) is not heating up the polity.
“In our conversation with (ex) President
Goodluck Jonathan and members of the parties, I don’t think any
Nigerian is in favour of corruption or is against the President’s
commitment to ensuring that we turn a new leaf.
“I think what we are concerned about is
the process. It is no longer a military regime and under our existing
laws, everybody is innocent until proven guilty.
“Again, our own commitment is not to
intimidate or fight anybody. The former President’s commitment and what
he did still remains spectacular and I think that President Buhari
himself appreciates that.
“So, our effort really is to make sure that the right thing is done.”
Jonathan had reportedly complained to
the committee over alleged victimisation of his aides by the incumbent
administration in its anti-corruption crusade.
The former President met with Buhari on Thursday night in what many believed was on the same issue.
Kukah said members of the committee,
which was formed in the run-up to the 2015 general elections, gave
Buhari an update on the activities of the committee and how members
could help to nurture peace in the country.
He confirmed that members of the committee had met with Jonathan after meeting with some political parties.
He claimed the meeting with Buhari was
not at Jonathan’s instance, saying the parley was a continuation of a
series of intervention aimed at getting feedback from the conduct of the
last elections.
He said, “Anybody is free to come to our
committee but President Jonathan never by telephone or other means
talked to the committee.
“We went to see him, but that is after we had already seen members of the political parties and members of the civil society.
“We planned to see the Speaker (of the House of Representatives) because we couldn’t see him yesterday.
“This is a much-planned series of
intervention, essentially just to hear out everybody and I think the
good news is that Nigerians are committed to a new nation, they are
committed to ensuring that the gains and blessings God has given us come
to fruition.”
Kukah said the meeting with the President was neither an intervention nor a hearing session.
He said Buhari also stated the need for the committee to continue to help build confidence when the need arises.
The priest added, “This is not an
intervention; it is not a hearing out process. When we had election, it
was like a wedding now the reality of government is now the marriage and
people need to be encouraged.
“We need to reaffirm that this is our
country and the only thing we can collectively be opposed to is
injustice, iniquity, corruption and in that regard we all had one single
conversation.
“The President has also reaffirmed the
need for this committee to continue, and the international community has
very much welcomed the contributions of the committee.
“Essentially, we are not policing, but when the need arises, we will help to build confidence in the process.”
Members of the National Peace Committee
on the visit included the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar;
Cardinal John Onaiyekan; President of the Christian Association of
Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor; and the Primate of the Anglican Church
of Nigeria, Archbishop Nicholas Okoh.
Others were Justice Rose Ukeje (retd), Prof. Ameze Guobadia, Publisher of Vanguard Newspapers,
Sam Amuka; a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association,
Priscilla Kuye; Senator Ben Obi, Dr. Yunusa Tanko and Dr Arthur-Martin
Aginam.
At the meeting, Buhari allowed the committee to transform into a National Peace Council.
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