CSOs Urge Govt To Champion Fight Against Corruption

Government at all levels has been advised to create an enabling environment for anti corruption agencies to prosecute erring individuals to serve as a deterrent to others.

A Don, Ibrahim Jibrin made the call at a News Conference in Abuja on the state of the fight against corruption in Nigeria organized by the Coalition of Civil Society organisations.

Professor Jibrin who is the Chairman, Centre for Democracy Development expressed concern on the interference in cases involving corrupt individuals said full administrative and financial autonomy of the Judiciary would ensure proper dispensation of justice.

He stressed further “Over the past few weeks, we have observed with great concern, the malicious attacks and deliberate efforts to blackmail anti-corruption agencies through sponsorship influencers, incentivised opinion publications in some national dailies, online and electronic platforms, all targeted at discouraging anti-corruption efforts and shielding the kleptocrats from thorough investigation.”

In his remark, the Chairman Center for Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, Auwal Musa-Rafsanjani called on Youths to shun acts detrimental to the nation’s development for the selfish interest of politicians.

According to Rafsanjani, “Youths are daily becoming engaged in criminal activities including ritual killings, cyber-crimes, kidnapping, prostitution, robbery and banditry. In the process, the youth, whose collective future has been continuously mortgaged by our morally bankrupt and corrupt politicians have to take a clear stand today. A good future for them would require that they take a clear stance in the struggle against corruption and all forms of criminality.”

Other stakeholders at the conference also called for reinstatement of police personnel withdrawn from the Kano State Anti Corruption Agency to enable Nigeria win the war against corruption at the sub national level.

“We urge IGP Egbetokun to promptly reinstate the police personnel withdrawn from the Kano State Anti-Corruption Commission, to facilitate the effective execution of the Commission’s duties. Nigeria Police must avoid actions that may portray it as being submissive to politicians.”

Florence Adewale, Edited By Grace Namiji