Corruption has inflicted incalculable harm to Nigeria. It has destroyed the morale and economic fabric of the nation. Development of Nigeria has been stunted by rampant, wholesale diversion and embezzlement of public fund. This unspeakable crime is happening in all sectors of the economy. Millions and billions of Naira allocated for various projects just disappears in the thin air. The money are basically funneled into private accounts. One wonders how this country is even functioning at all in the first place considering the wholesale looting of the federal, state and local government treasury that has been taking place for five decades now. How did Nigerians descent to this primitive wealth accumulation? Why are the treasury looters respected, admired and worshiped in their towns, villages and states? Why are these criminals not shunned? How in the world can this nation move forward with this level of corruption and primitive wealth accumulation? Some Nigerians wants to get rich without working for it. A lot of Nigerians spent their valuable time thinking of ways to scheme their way to riches instead of thinking of ways to acquire legitimate wealth through hard work.
Corruption is a learned behavior. period. It has nothing to do with genetics. Same Nigerians who may otherwise be engaged in this cesspool of corruption do not engage in the same act when they move to developed countries of Europe and United States. Most Nigerians who resides in United States and Europe who are fortunate enough to manage millions of dollars of private or public fund do not embezzle or misappropriate the money under their care so genetics have nothing to do with it.
No developed country in any part of the world achieved their success without strong work ethics. I was surprise at how hard people work when I moved to United States. It did not take long for me to understand why they are more developed and successful. People here in United States literally work and sleep and occasionally make out time for pleasure when possible. Their work ethic and dedication goes to show that there is no magic wand to development and success. Countries achieve that fit through collective efforts of all or most of their citizens. Short cut does not work.
The current war on corruption by president Buhari is a war that must be fought. Nigerians have no other choice but to confront this monstrousity called corruption. President Buhari should be supported in his effort to rid Nigeria of corruption and impunity. The embezzled fund that have been uncovered so far is mindbuggling. $2.1 billion allocated for purchase of military equipment was dispersed to various people who embezzled some and used the rest for political campaign. This discovery is the tip of the iceberg. It is common knowledge that Action Congress of Nigeria governors which fused into All Progressive Congress funded all political activities of the party. All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) governors are funding APGA political activities. It is also known that some All Progressive Congress (APC) governors and some APC chieftains are corrupt as well. Some of them are in the president’s cabinet now. Is president Buhari going to prosecute them at some point or is he going to look the other way?
The war on corruption must be fair and even-handed for this effort to succeed. It cannot have any ethnic or religious coloration. They cannot be favoritism in this war. The current war on corruption will be discarded by Nigerians if they notice ethnic or religious bias or selective prosecution or used as weapon against political opponents or fought without adherence to the rule of law and disobedience of court orders.
Already, President Buhari once again is employing questionable judicial tactics in prosecuting this war. We now have a situation where people who are granted bail by the court are re-arrested as soon as they leave the prison gate and charged with more offenses in same or different court. Mohammed Dasuki was rearrested after he met his bail condition as he was leaving prison. Mr. Olisa Metuh, publicity secretary of PDP was rearrested after his bail and charged for another crime before another judge. These tactics is called split charges which is a deliberate attempt to keep people in jail as long as the government in power wants it. It is an end run on the judiciary. Charges against these men should have been consolidated before same judge and the prosecutor should then petition the judge to increase bail amount. Splitting charges shows that the federal government represented by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) is not acting in good faith.
President Buhari associate, Jafaru Isa’s was recently arrested for his part in the $2.01 billion Dasuki scandal, but was quickly released because EFCC said that he refunded 100,000,000 naira and will refund the rest shortly. He should have been charged to court like Mr. Metuh and the presiding Judge will then grant him bail like others. The presiding judge will definitely grant whoever refunded the money reduced sentence, but the judge not EFCC should make that decision. In this case, it appears that president Buhari shielded his associate which casts a shadow on the fairness, integrity and even-handedness of his war on corruption. It feeds the perception that some people are treated different from others. Why was Mr. Metuh handicuffed while the other defendants were taken to court without handcuff? This type of uneven treatment, though minor, creates appearance of special treatment and bias in the eye of the public.
Split charges is an irresponsible way to deliver justice. It is a mockery and abuse of Nigeria judicial process and the integrity of EFCC and this administration will suffer if this unethical practice continues. During president Buhari’s military regime, he embarked on well intentioned but over-the-top war on corruption. The tactics he employed in that war on corruption ended up discrediting the whole effort to the point that the entire war died with him after he was overthrown in another military coup. Nigerians did not think that his high-handed and illegitimate tactics was the way to fight corruption. Same perception will carry the day if this administration fails to change course by being more even-handed, avoid split charges to prolong the time an accused spends in jail, and strict adherence to the rule of law. The end must not justify the means.
President Buhari’s war on corruption will be a failure if Nigerians or successive administration felt that it was an illegal war due to the way it was carried out. If the war was done correctly; Nigerian’s will never elect any presidential candidate who will not pledge to carry on the war. APC will not rule Nigeria forever. They will be out of power someday and will not want any under-handed tactics they are using now to be unleashed on their members when they no longer hold the levers of power. This administration should be guided by the time tested law of nature which states as follows: “Do unto the others as you will would have them do unto you”. Nigeria is more than an individual or political party. Nigerians will appreciate and thank any president who will conduct the war on corruption properly. Nigerians must be carried along for this war to succeed.