Buhari Orders Top Agencies To Reveal Names Of Looters

President Muhammadu 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 enforce the judgment of a Federal High Court in Lagos ordering the release of names of high ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abukabar Malami disclosed this on Wednesday during a meeting at his office in Abuja with a delegation from Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP.

Recalled that the SERAP had last year filed a suit following the Federal Government announcement of funds recovered from some high-ranking public officials and private individuals.

The group asked the government to tell Nigerians the circumstances under which funds were recovered, as well as the exact amount of funds recovered from each public official.

In her judgment delivered on July 5, Justice Hadiza Rabiu 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.”

SERAP, in a statement by its executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni, after its meeting with the AGF 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/964/2016brought 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,” Mr. Mumuni added.