The senator representing Borno South in the National Assembly, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has expressed his frustration over the pervasive corruption in Nigeria, noting that those who steal public funds are often celebrated.
Speaking to journalists in Kano on Sunday, Ndume voiced his concerns, highlighting the nation’s lack of effective laws to combat corruption.
He stated, Our major challenge in this country is corruption. Up till now, we have no law that can proactively or reactively address the issue of corruption in the country.
If you see somebody in our system, especially in politics or government and he is not corrupt, then he is lucky to be God-fearing. Otherwise, it is only in Nigeria that you steal money and you walk freely and you are celebrated.
Ndume explained how, in many cases, individuals who gain sudden wealth are not questioned about its source.
If you come into an area like this, people would start lobbying you and prostrate before you even when they know that the money was stolen.
It is only in this country that somebody had no money yesterday or last week, but the following week he buys 10 cars; buys jets and his brothers would fly with him, his mother would fly with him, his uncle would fly with him, and they would say Allah has blessed our son, he remarked.
The senator also revealed his efforts to pass legislation targeting unexplained wealth in Nigeria, which were unsuccessful. He recalled approaching a former head of state to support an executive bill on the matter, only to be turned down.
Up till now, there is no law on unexplained wealth Act in Nigeria and there is no Executive Order on it, Ndume added.
In addition to corruption, Ndume also raised concerns about the growing hunger crisis in the country.
He urged for greater investment in agriculture, pointing out that Nigeria has vast arable land that remains underutilized.
There is hunger in the land and up till now we have not cultivated up to five per cent of our land, Nigeria is blessed with massive arable land,” the senator stressed.
