The Nigerian leader has vowed to recover all stolen funds and prosecute culprits.
The Nigerian leader has vowed to recover all stolen funds and prosecute culprits.
President BUHARI made the vow while responding to questions during a meeting with members of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation in the United States and Canada at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC.
BUHARI said his administration would trace the accounts of individuals who stashed away ill-gotten oil money, freeze and recover the loot and prosecute the culprits.
He said about two hundred and fifty thousand barrels of oil are stolen daily from Nigeria, adding that some individuals sell crude and put the money in their personal accounts.
President BUHARI told the audience that the United States and other developed countries are currently helping the Nigerian government to trace bank accounts containing funds stolen from Nigeria.
He said the amount of money involved is mind-boggling, adding that at the right time, the Federal Government will request that such accounts be frozen and the culprits will face prosecution.
The Nigerian leader said some former ministers were selling about one million barrels of stolen crude oil per day.
BUHARI said a lot of damage has been done to the integrity of Nigeria, with individuals and institutions already compromised.
He said people in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, are doing whatever they like, unlike during his time as the Federal Commissioner for Petroleum under military regime when the NNPC had only two traceable accounts for oil proceeds.
He also touched on the issue of fuel subsidy with skepticism, stressing that if subsidy was removed, basic needs of the populace, such as transport, housing and food prices, would go out of control and the average worker would suffer untold hardship.
President BUHARI agreed that Nigeria’s economy is in an extremely bad shape, but put the blame on the PDP’s sixteen years in power, beginning from 1999.
He said the All Progressives Congress Administration which he leads would fulfill its three-pronged campaign manifesto of providing security, turning around the economy with a major focus on youth employment and fighting corruption.
President BUHARI acknowledged that he had been nicknamed, “Baba Go Slow” due to the delay in forming a government, but assured that it was better to go slow and steady.
The outcome of the meeting with the Nigerian Community in Diasporas was contained in a statement released by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity. GARBA SHEHU.
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