Jibrin Samuel Okutepa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has said that rather than fighting it, Nigeria State celebrates corruption.
Okutepa who was reacting to the recent highest forfeiture in history of Nigeria- 753 duplexes and the failure of the security agencies to detect the fraud while it was going on, maintained that something is wrong with our system of fighting corruption in Nigeria.
“Nigeria is not fighting corruption. It is celebrating it. The property allegedly forfeited to the FGN did not belong to a person with immunity while holding political power. Why did our security agencies fail to detect the crimes while the alleged perpetrator was perpetuating it.
“The land was given to the person who built those houses. Where were the security agencies when these monumental crimes were being committed. Nigeria security agencies must be more proactive in the way and manner they go about fighting crimes. We are not fighting corruption.
“For Nigeria to be seen to fight corruption, those in power must be investigated and prosecuted. We must avoid the fight of corruption that gives the appearance of political revenge. Why is it that our security agencies become effective only against those not in power.
“Something is definitely wrong with the manner we profess to fighting and eradicating corruption in Nigeria. Who is deceiving who. There must be transparency in the fight against corruption.The forfeited properties must be transparently accounted to Nigerians.”
In a series of post on his X account, the legal silk added that; “Fighting corruption by advertorial is not good enough. There are many persons in and around the corridors of power to be investigated and prosecuted by the anti graft agencies.That is the essence of section 7 of the EFCC Act, for instance. EFCC should go after them.
“The power to eradicate and abolish corruption has been vested in our anti graft agencies. Let the anti graft agencies be allowed to do their jobs. And let those in anti graft agencies be above board. The independence of anti graft agencies is important in this regard.”
