The United States has thrown its support for the anti-corruption war of President Muhammadu Buhari. US Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry, said that Buhari understood the danger of corruption in a country, and that Nigeria was already a regional leader in the fight against corruption. Kerry made this known when he visited the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, in his palace in Sokoto yesterday. He disclosed that the world loses $2.6 trillion to corruption annually.
He said that the money being lost to corruption across the world was enough to provide decent livelihood for people. ”This is money that can be used to improve the living standard and provide decent livelihoods for them.
“Corruption is not only a crime, but very dangerous and it must be tamed,” he said. Commending Buhari for his efforts in fighting corruption in Nigeria, Kerry pointed out that corrupt officials, anywhere in the world, were crooks.
“Nigeria is also a role model in the ongoing global efforts to fight corruption,” he stated, and acknowledged measures being applied by Buhari to entrench morality, transparency, honesty and good governance in the country.
Kerry particularly com mended the Federal Government for its efforts at recovering stolen funds, stressing that there was need for all government institutions, including military, other security agencies and the judiciary, to support the anti-corruption campaign. ”U.S. is also fully committed to fighting corruption and the entrenchment of good governance globally.
One of Nigeria’s strength is diversity of culture and religious tolerance,” he said. On insurgency in Nigeria, Kerry also commended the government determination to combat the menace and other crimes across the country. Condemning terrorism in the country, he said: “Boko Haram boasts no agenda more than to burn schools. They also kill and maim people, especially teachers, and it is the opposite of any religion.”
At another meeting between Buhari and Kerry at the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday, Kerry commended the courage of the president in fighting corruption, saying: “We applaud what you are doing. Corruption creates a ready-made playing field for recruiting extremists.
“You inherited a big problem, and we will support you in any way we can. We will work with you very closely. We don’t want to interfere, but will offer opportunities as you require.”
The US Secretary of State also pledged to assist in tackling the humanitarian challenges in the North-East, adding that his country would get the UK, France and others “to augment the support.” “Nigeria is priority for us. We won’t miss the opportunity to work together, because you are making significant progress,” Kerry noted.
Meanwhile, Buhari has stated that he will institutionalise the war against corruption in the country before leaving office. The president stated this during a meeting Kerry at the presidential villa, Abuja. Kerry and the president held closed door meeting, which lasted for about an hour.
According to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Femi Adesina, the president had as- sured the visiting US scribe that his anti-corruption crusade will be deepened and institutionalised. Buhari declared, “we will insist on the standards we’re establishing.” According to him, “we are laying down administrative and financial instructions in the public service that must be obeyed. Any breach will no longer be acceptable.”
“We will retrain our staff, so that they understand the new orientation. And those who run foul of these rules will be prosecuted, no matter who is involved. But we will be fair, just and act according to the rule of law. Anyone perceived corrupt is innocent till we can prove it. We will work very hard to establish documentation for successful prosecution, and those in positions of trust will sit up.”
Buhari, during the meeting, appreciated the intervention of the US before the 2015 polls, demanding free and fair elections in Nigeria. Speaking on the Boko Haram insurgency, Buhari thanked the US for both hard and soft military help. “The training and intelligence that we could not muster ourselves, we received.
The training has made Boko Haram less of a threat to Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin region, while the military hardware has given our troops added confidence,” he said. Buhari said though militancy in the Niger Delta has impacted negatively on the economy and affected the positive intentions of international and local investors, government was showing restraint not to use real force, “except when constrained to do so.”
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