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By Henry Uche, Lagos
A civil society organisation, Human & Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has called on the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) to revisit pending corruption cases and investigate similar cases that seem to be swept under the carpet, from 199 to 2022.
HEDA recently staged a protest in front of the two anti-corruption agencies’ offices in Lagos to reiterate their resolve to work hand in glove with government agencies and other anti-corruption civil society organisations to stamp out corruption from Nigeria through the instrumentality of the law.
HEDA through its Legal Officer, Mr. David Ogungbesan, said the total monetary value of corruption cases not yet to be res judicata in Nigeria from 1999 to 2022 is N1.7 trillion.
With different inscriptions that read: Say No To Impunity, Stop Shielding Corrupt Persons, take actions now, No more delay tactics, we need Justice now, Justice delayed is Justice denied, Corruption is killing Nigeria, Corruption must end etcetera, they anti- corruption group maintained that it was not going back in the fight against corrupt practices.
“Over N1.7 trillion is not a small amount of money. The sum can be used to fix infrastructure deficits and meet other socio-economic needs of Nigerians. We’re calling on EFCC and ICPC to be firm and do their job no matter who is involved. We just left the EFCC office to let them know also that they need to rise to the occasion, corruption is a cancer that is still destroying the heart of Nigeria and Nigerians” he stressed.
HEDA recently published a compendium of 100 High Profile Corruption Cases In Nigeria that involves trillions of naira; some of which are uninvestigated at all, while some are investigated halfway and dumped or swept under the carpet.
Responding, the Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner of ICPC, Lagos, Mr Kabir Elelu, who received two copies of HEDA’s document titled: Impunity Galore: A Chronicle of Some Unresolved High Profile Corruption Cases In Nigeria from 1999 to 2022, assured the public that the Commission would definitely look into the Cases brought forward by HEDA and actions would be taken.
“We have received copies of this document, we shall look into it and take necessary actions,” he affirmed.
