Headline
DOUBT OVER THE RECOVERED LOOTED MONIES AND THE IMPACT ON THE ECONOMY!
by: Okunlade Aderogba
I have decided to write my opinion on the above earlier than now, but for the fact that i am sampling people’s opinion and views over the recovered monies by the federal government through Law Enforcement Agents especially the EFCC, from different quarters, hence i had to be a bit slow in putting up action.
Moreover, at the time i was on my way to the office in Ikeja this morning, i branched at a newsstand to have a glance of some newspapers headlines, especially the top stories in the front pages, i saw as one of the riders on top Nigerian Tribune front page, where it was put as; “Federal Government to use the recovered loot to facilitate budget”. Although, i did not read the body of the story, but that, to some extent softens my disposition to the style i had wanted to employ in putting this piece across.
Yes, since the incoming administration of President Muhammadu Buhari which many Nigerians including myself applauded and hailed for the change in the style of leadership of the country via political party and personality, what was obviously seen and appraised is the fight against corruption especially discovering the looters, exposing each of them by various anti-graft bodies and recovering the loots according to information through news from various media platforms, which the past regimes especially the last one of President Goodluck Jonathan lacked. Good. We also praised the efforts of the anti-graft agencies in this regard.But one discovers that up till now, what we heard about it all is discovery and recovery in some cases , but not what the money is expended upon as we are close to the beginning of the third year in office.
This inaction of expending the fund on the part of federal government such that the effect will be clearly seen by the populace made people in some quarters to develop doubting spirit over whether loots are actually gotten from anybody or recovered from any source like a home somewhere in Lagos or the latest one uprooted in the cemetery thus making it look as if all actions surrounding the scenario is political propaganda.
However, the rider in the front page of Nigerian Tribune put many people’s mind like me at rest that if this administration can make it known through the media, the administration can be trusted for action in the next two years of its tenure. I hope they wont let us down.
Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday took a swipe at the sixteen years presidency of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) between 1999 and 2015, saying the State benefited nothing from the party’s reign.
Speaking at the National Consultative Forum of the National Committee of Buhari Support Groups, a coordinating body of all the groups campaigning for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in 2019, held at Nicon Luxury in Abuja, Governor Ambode said the country would not go back to Egypt by bringing PDP back to power having crossed the Red Sea.
He said just within three and half years from 2015 till date, the All Progressives Congress (APC) had been able to lay a solid foundation for Nigeria’s economic growth and prosperity, adding that the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket remains the best option to take the country to the next level from 2019.
“Sixteen years of PDP, I can say it clearly that Lagos State never enjoyed anything from them. Three and half years of APC, I can clearly attest here that whatever it is that we have achieved in Lagos in the last three and half years, the present Federal Government has largely contributed to the things that we have achieved be it in terms of right of way, be it in terms of approval for waivers for import duties and other things that have actually made Lagos to be on the progressive trajectory that it had been in the last twenty years.
“So, for me it is very easy and it is just common sense that we have to uphold the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket to allow that economic progress and the growth in the GDP that we want for Nigeria rather than allowing it to get dismantled and then make us to go back to Egypt after crossing the Red Sea and we are not going back to Egypt,” Governor Ambode said.
He said since assuming office in 2015, the Buhari administration had worked tirelessly to bring about fundamental paradigm shift and retracing the steps of the country for sustained progressive chart, adding that the onus is now on the entire country to give the APC a chance to consolidate on the massive development already embarked upon.
“I just want Nigerians to understand and also to encourage all our members here that what we have started as a support group coordinating everything that is happening is not necessarily for you but it is a selfless service to put Nigeria on that trajectory that grows prosperity and also conveniently in another four years, we would make all Nigerians proud and I am very proud to be part of this.
“We have made up our mind that we are going to work tirelessly; we would do everything that is possible in terms of supporting and campaigning to let Nigerians understand that there are two parallel lines between what we stand to offer which is growth and prosperity for this country and what PDP is trying to come and re-engineer to take us back to the debris of the past that we don’t want to ever go back to.
“So, I just want to congratulate Mr President, Muhammadu Buhari and also the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and assure them that when they look at their back, they have true Nigerians who believe that yes, we want to build a skyscraper but we need solid foundation to be able to enjoy that skyscraper and then the next level we are thinking on is to be able to put the proper aesthetics and lay the proper foundation to allow Nigeria to make progress and that is what the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket speaks about,” the Governor said.
Besides, Governor Ambode said it was also gratifying that all APC Governors were united in ensuring the victory of APC in the presidential election next year.
“All APC Governors, I can speak on their behalf, are resolved that the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket is what Nigeria needs and that is what we are going to pursue and I am happy that a handful of our gubernatorial candidates are here to align with us to make sure that what we would deliver is what Nigerians want and what Nigerians want is the APC President,” Governor Ambode said.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Ibadan has arrested 36 suspected internet fraudsters at 21, Sawmill Road, Awa-Ijebu, Ogun State
The commission’s acting Head, Media and Publicity, Mr Tony Orilade, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.
Orilade stated that the suspects, who were between 19 and 37 years of age, included 23 university students, out of which, nine were ladies who allegedly claimed to be girlfriends and or neighbours of some of the suspects.He added that one of the suspects was from another university, while 12 others were not students.
He stated that EFCC got wind of their activities through intelligence reports alleging that the suspected fraudsters were obtaining money by false pretext.
He said, “the suspects carry out their activities by sending emails to unsuspecting victims mostly in the United States of America, while others were engaged in romance scam on several dating sites.
“At the point of arrest, EFCC operatives recovered over 300 SIM cards from them.”
Orilade said other items recovered from the suspects included different models and brands of exotic cars, 18 laptops, nine being of Apple brand, 50 cell phone, including 21 iphones and two bags of fetish objects.
The media and publicity acting head said that the suspects would be charged to court after investigation. (NAN)
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