The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu, has accused some state governors of covertly promoting insecurity to enhance their security vote.
He made the declaration in a paper he presented on the second day of the induction programme organized by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) for returning and newly elected governors at the presidential villa, Abuja on Tuesday.
While noting that he would not go into the constitutionality of security vote, he admonished the governors to be wary of how they deploy the resources by being guarded by the principles of transparency in public expenditure.
“We have also seen evidence of theft of public resources by some state governors – cashing on the insecurity in their states,” the EFCC boss said.
Speaking on the topic, “Imperative of Fighting Corruption/Terrorism Financing in Nigeria,” he also averred that “insecurity has also offered the required oxygen for corruption to thrive as evident in the $2.1billion arms procurement scandal involving top military commanders both serving and retired.”
He said corruption cannot be eliminated from the ongoing insurgency in the North East.
According to him: “Mass poverty in the region due in part to corruption by the ruling elite is largely to blame for the ease with which the Islamists are able to recruit fighters to sustain their aggression against the Nigerian state.”
He similarly described militancy in the Niger Delta as a by-product of corruption.
“As an investigator, I am shocked by the quantum of resources stolen from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by those who run the intervention agency. It is so bad that even a mere personal assistant to a former Managing Director was charged for stealing over N3 billion,” the EFCC Chairman regretted.
He, therefore, tasked returning and newly elected state chief executives to shun corruption.
“Whether we like it or not, corruption and terrorism have become the twin evils, undermining our collective efforts to make Nigeria a truly great country,” he declared.
Credit: Nigerian Tribune
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