FG rejects latest report showing corruption has increased in Nigeria
- The federal government faults a recent ranking in Transparency International’s (TI) 2019 corruption perception index which puts Nigeria on the 146 spot out of 180 corrupt countries
- The new data shows that Nigeria dropped when compared to the rating in 2018 when the country scored 148, four places up from the 144 it was ranked in 2017
- Abubakar Malami, the attorney-general of the federation, insists the latest ranking by Transparency International does not reflect the realities on ground
The federal government has faulted a recent ranking in Transparency International’s (TI) corruption perception index which puts Nigeria as one of the most corrupt countries in West Africa.
Channels TV reports that Nigeria occupies the 146 spot out of 180 countries on the 2019 corruption perception index released on Thursday, January 23.
The new data showed that Nigeria dropped when compared to the rating in 2018 when the country scored 148, four places up from the 144 it was ranked in 2017.
Source: UGC
However, Abubakar Malami, the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, insisted that the latest ranking by Transparency International does not reflect the realities on ground.
He said the Buhari administration has put more effort into fighting corruption and is committed to sustaining the anti-corruption war.
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“In terms of the fight against corruption, we have been doing more, we have done more and we will continue to do more out of inherent conviction and desire on our part to fight against corruption devoid of any extraneous considerations relating to the rating by Transparency International," Malami said.
“In terms of legislation, we have done more, in terms of enforcement we have done more, in terms of recovery of looted assets we have done more, and in terms of political goodwill, we have demonstrated extra-ordinary political goodwill," he said.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim Magu, the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, January 21, said the anti-corruption agency is prepared to fight corruption vigorously in 2020.
Speaking in Ilorin during a visit to the Zonal office of the commission, Magu noted that corrupt Nigerians who fled the country after looting will be brought back to face justice.
He stated that no person, no matter how prominent, would be shielded from prosecution. The EFCC boss said as soon as investigations are concluded, those involved in corrupt allegations would be put on trial.
In another report, President Muhammadu Buhari called for the help of UK's government to go after Nigerian looters who are at large in its territory.
Speaking with the prime minister of UK, Boris Johnson, President Buhari said that Nigeria has gained a lot from its long history of collaborating with the country's military.
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