Buhari Reveals When And How He'll Deal With Erring Former Public Officers

President Buhari has pointed out the reasons why he thinks Nigeria is in trouble economically and what he plans to do to former public officers who looted national treasury.

PEACE COMMITTEE—President Muhammadu Buhari flanked by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the Sultan of Sokoto (5th R) while Chairman, National Peace Committee, Gen. Abdulasalami Abubakar (4th L); President, Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor (4th R); Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah (2nd L); the Catholic Bishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan (3rd R); former president, Nigerian Bar Association, Mrs. Priscila Kuye (3rd L); Primate of All Nigeria Anglican Communion, Bishop Nicholas Okoh (2nd R); Retired Justice Rose Ukeje (R) and Publisher of Vanguard, Mr. Sam Amuka (L) with others during an audience with President Buhari at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida. –

The president yesterday Tuesday, August 11, 2015 met with members of the National Peace Committee led by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He made it known to them that former public officers who looted the national treasury and kept it in foreign banks will face trials in few weeks. This made General Abubakar to implore President Buhari to follow due process in the prosecution of corrupt officials as they are no longer in the military era.

This meeting is coming just after a meeting with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, during which committee members were told of the persecution that members of the PDP were facing in the hands of the new governing party. The president said that for the country to move forward, the vicious cycle has to be broken. He also regretted the sorry state of the country’s finances. He said:

“We have really degenerated as a country. Our national institutions, including the military, which did wonderfully on foreign missions in the past, have been compromised. But we are doing something about it. The military is now retraining and morale has been resuscitated.

“As Petroleum Minister under Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo in the 1970s, I could not travel abroad until I had taken a memo to the Federal Executive Council asking for estacode. Now, everybody does what he wants. That is why security-wise, and economically, we’re in trouble. Those who have stolen the national wealth will be in court in a matter of weeks and Nigerians will know those who have short-changed them.”

The National Peace Committee, then asked him to follow due process in the anti-graft war.

In related news, President Buhari had earlier summoned former Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, for explanations on the grounds of a missing $1 billion loan, an amount originally meant for rail projects.