By Ibrahim Mustapha
Corruption is one of the endemic viruses hampering the growth and development of Nigeria. Since the attainment of independence in 1960, Nigeria has been battling with corruption as resources meant for national development are diverted or squandered by those entrusted with leadership at all levels.
In the last six decades of independence, corruption has become so entrenched that the country continues to lose trillions of naira of public funds. These huge resources usually ended in the pockets of corrupt government officials and their cronies.
No wonder, many countries which attained independence with Nigeria such as Malaysia and India have recorded speedy developments in contrast with the so-called giant of Africa. Nigeria, OPECs sixth largest producer of crude oil still imports petroleum for its domestic consumption. The four refineries which were built in the early 70s to provide petroleum for domestic consumption and possible export were allowed to rot. While Nigerians had apportioned blames on the military administrations for high cases of corruption, the return of democracy in 1999 has failed to stop the monster.
In 1999 when Obasanjo administration came on board, it carried out institutional reforms which the country had yearned for. To tackle corruption which had eaten deeply into the fabrics of the country, the administration established the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Special Offences Commission (ICPC). These twin agencies were charged with investigating, apprehending, prosecuting and confiscating proceeds of corruption. The commission was able to arrest and charge corrupt governors, ministers, business moguls and other government officials to court. Until it was later politicized under Obasanjo, EFCC had recorded remarkable achievements.
Successive administrations, not only failed to strengthen the anti-corruption war, the commission soon became a ready tool for political intimidation.
Upon assumption of the Buhari administration, many Nigerians expected a paradigm shift. Now, the entire anti-corruption war has become a joke with the pardon granted to former Plateau and Taraba states governors – Joshua Dariye convicted for theft of N1.6 billion and, Jolly Nyame also jailed for diverting N1.4 billion, from their states’ coffers. The pardon granted to the duo has indeed eroded the gains achieved by Buhari administration’s war against corruption.
Of course, the pardon will embolden corruption and render war against corruption meaningless in a country where corruption has become the order of the day. Government officials will steal public funds with impunity believing they will be pardoned by government. This is the reason Nigerians are calling for the total scrapping of the anti-corruption agencies. With the pardon granted to Dariye and Nyame, Nigerians should forget about war against corruption.
The Nation
