President
Muhammadu Buhari did not release details of looted asset, recovered
from corrupt persons, due to “legal reasons”, an official has said.
The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, disclosed this on Sunday evening, hours after Mr. Buhari’s Democracy Day broadcast.
“Yes, he initially said so (that he’ll
give specific details about recovered loot), but he was advised against
doing so for legal reasons,” the Cable Newspapers quoted Mr. Mohammed as saying during an interview on Channels Television.
Mr. Buhari had on May 14 in London promised to provide specific details of stolen asset by former public officials.
“So far, what has come out, what has
been recovered in whatever currency from each ministries, departments
and individuals, I intend on the 29th to speak on this because all
Nigerians are getting from the mass media because of the number of
people arrested either by the EFCC, DSS. But we want to make a
comprehensive report on the 29th,” Mr. Buhari had said.
But during his nation-wide address on
Sunday morning, the President failed to make the details public.
Instead, he said, the Information Ministry would soon release relevant
details.
The development immediately drew the ire
of Nigerians, who became outraged that their leader has once again
failed to live up to his words.
But Mr. Mohammed said his principal has the right to reverse himself.
“Of course, he has a right to reverse himself on that,” he said.
Mr. Mohammed, however, said the
administration will publish some details of recovered loot, but a far
cry from what the president initially promised.
“We will get the list but not today; before the end of the week. But I must say not with the names,” he said.
But the claims that legal consequences
prevented the president from announcing the names appear to be in sharp
contrast with what the president did in January when he released the
names of former military officials, private individuals and companies.
On January 15, Mr. Buhari published up
to 41 names of former services chiefs, firms and individuals said to be
responsible for over $2B arms procurement fund that was unaccounted for.
Credit: PremiumTimes
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