The
Buhari administration has urged the US government to step up its
assistance in ensuring that corrupt officials don’t get a safe haven
abroad for their loot, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.
The
Vice President, who made the call yesterday during the visit of a US
Congressional Delegation to the Presidential Villa, said both countries
were working on a prompt repatriation of the funds.
According
to Prof. Osinbajo: “We have reached out to the US government with
respect with helping with repatriation of proceeds of crime and proceeds
of corruption.’’
Prof.
Osinbajo, who was appreciative of the support given by the US so far
said the Buhari administration regarded “corruption is an existential
threat’’ that must be dealt with at its root.
“We
have worked quite closely with the US government on repatriation of
funds, we have seen some results’’, adding that the Federal Government
is hoping for more improvement in the process.
“We think that this is very important
because what tends to happen with corrupt public officials is that if
they are able to find a safe haven for the proceeds of their
criminality, not only are they encouraged as individuals but there is
the general feeling that if I am able to get the proceeds out of the
country I might just get away with it,’’ the Vice President said.
According to him, “this is one of the
reasons why we have taken several actions to ensure that we are able to
deal with it because some of the major dislocations in the economy are
on account of the problems that we have seen with corruption.’’
He
said the Buhari presidency’s strategy which is one of “the most
effective ways of fighting corruption is ensuring that these proceeds
are unsafe and for people to know that they would be found out and they
would be punished for it and we would seize whatever profit they had
gain.’’
On
the return of the Chibok girls, the Vice President said, “it is a front
burner issue for us all the time. There is no question of not
continuing to negotiate and looking for the girls.’’
He
expressed gratitude to God for the hope that the girls are still alive
and would be released, noting that “negotiations were continuing and
government would keep looking for the opportunity to bring them back.’’
The
Vice President thanked the US government for its recent decision to
sell Super Tucano aircraft to Nigeria to aid its fight against
insurgency in the North-East.
Sen.
Christopher Coons who led the delegation said the visit was to reaffirm
the relationship between Nigeria and the United States, noting that the
US has “an enduring enthusiasm and partnership with Nigeria.’’
Other
members of the Congressional delegation include, Sen. Gary Peters, Sen.
Jeff Merkley, Sen. Michael Bennet, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Rep.
Terri Sewell, Rep. Charlie Dent, Rep. Barbara Lee and Rep. Frederica
Wilson. They were accompanied by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington.
Also
in attendance were the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffery
Onyeama, Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, the National
Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno, and the Chief of Air
Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.
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