Gabriel Dike
Two senior advocates, Chief Folake Solanke and Mr. Femi Falana, yesterday, challenged the Federal Government to explain how it intends to use the over N605 billion loot recovered by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) in the last six months.
They made the demand at at the 20th edition of Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture in Lagos.
The two legal luminaries also asked the federal government to tell Nigerians how much has been collected.
Chief Solanke and Falana who were chairman and guest speaker, respectively, both agreed that the Federal Government owns Nigerians explanation on what it intends to use the money recovered under its whistleblowing policy.
Falana in his paper titled: ‘’The Danger of Unequal Criminal Justice System in Nigeria’’, said there Federal Government whistleblowing policy has paid off as EFCC recovered over N600 billion.”
He advocated that government should allocate N1billion each to the 774 local government councils for a skill development programme for youths.
According to him, the explanation became necessary to avoid what happened with previous recovered loots by successive administration.
He commended the former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adesoun for introducing the whistleblowing policy. He recommended that the policy be included in the nation’s law and also asked state government to replicate the policy.
The SAN shocked the audience when he argued that Nigerians who were kidnapped and paid ransom should demand a refund from the Federal Government.He said it is the right of the government to protect the citizens.
In her remarks, Chief Solanke decried the non-disclosure of what government used previous recovered loots for and stressed that government must explain to the citizens how much was realised and how it intends to use the money.
She said the theme of the lecture is ‘’pivotal in our Nigerian situation because the law which is translated to justice is the foundation of endearing peace in nation-building.’’