LOOTED FUNDS: WHY PRESIDENT MUHAMMAD BUHARI IS ANGRY!

LOOTED FUNDS: WHY PRESIDENT MUHAMMAD BUHARI IS ANGRY!

“He who rejects ‘change’ is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.” -  (Harold Wilson)

Nigeria, I believe is not like any other country in the world. It is a land of honey without good leaders. It is a land where Almighty Allah showers His blessings. God does not discriminate. He chose the country to have abundance in human and mineral resources. He chose the country to be rich in all its endeavors in life.

This is not because He liked the country more than any others but His command is “Be!” and it is! The inhabitants of the land must appreciate this and place among them leaders who will thank Him and lead the people with fear of Allah.

On the other hand, the leaders turned out to be opposite and attached greediness and self aggrandizement to block the people’s progress and achievements. The leaders were not after the country and its people but were fighting tooth and nail to protect and defend their family, party loyalists and friends.  

The country has a huge population of about 160 million people but the leaders do not want the people to live in peace and harmony. They make sure they display a degree of unhappiness and make the people fight among themselves with a view to siphoning and emptying the country’s treasury.

Previous leadership, in all honesty did not play the role it is expected to do. There have been all kinds of impunity here and there. There was no law and order. People are denied their civic responsibilities. Others were allowed to do whatever they wanted to do. The legislators were the worst enemies of the electorates. 

In fact, the Government officials in both the States and the Federal Government had a field day in committing all kinds of atrocities without anybody calling them to order. See, how the Government treasury in both the States and the Federal Government were looted to their own detriment and satisfaction. They believed and agreed that they would make a welcome back to lead the country. But, we have a saying which states that if you want improve on your memory, just lend someone money.

The 2nd return of Muhammadu Buhari to lead the country is a sign to fix the economy in proper perspectives. General Buhari was overthrown in a palace coup due to selfish interest employed to divert the country’s attention on the solid foundation he tried to lay down in freeing corruption, indolence and betrayal of trust. He had never touched, dipped his hands into the treasury or found him wanting.

President Muhammadu Buhari is not the only person being angry or frustrated but all the well meaning Nigerians who wanted the country to move to higher levels, progress, prosper, maintain peace and develop must be equally disappointed with previous economic development in the country.

Now, see, how on earth would a country survive with the following naked stealing, looting, etc for goodness sake considering the billions of US dollars and billions of naira earned being stashed away to private pockets and foreign lands? This is at the Federal level only. The revelations at the State levels will make one cry out loud!

1. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) realized crude oil sales of N8.1 trillion from 202 to 2015 (3 years alone) but N3.8 trillion was withheld at the NNPC headquarters. The remaining N4.3 trillion was remitted into the country’s treasury. (Source: Present Edo State Gov. Adams Oshiomhole revealed with the press).

1. 6 billion was allegedly spent by former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison Madueke, just to maintain an aircraft and charter flights to attend fraudulent activities dealing with NNPC. Refer to our national legislators to have more fascinating and amazing revelations on these topical issues.

1. $2.1billion unremitted from the excess crude oil account in which the former minister of finance a lady known as Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-lweala was accused by some state governors of misappropriating out of the Excess Crude Account (ECA). The account was meant to save for a rainy day but was squandered, misappropriated to the benefit of them as highlighted by some of the state governors.

1. The 160 million barrels of crude worth $13.9 billion was lost between 2009 and 2012.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

1. The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) did not remit N109.73 billions Royalty from 21 oil companies in 2012 to the government on the land and property used to produce crude oil and gas. The Department also failed to account N2.1 billion in gas flare penalties owed by 33 oil companies.

1. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is not left out in the “bring back our money” campaign of which six of its senior executives alongside 16 other bankers have been arraigned for N8 billion fraud by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before a Federal High Court, Ibadan, Oyo State.

1. The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has asked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to collaborate with the Nigeria Customs Service to recover the N30 billion waivers granted on food items and that Nigeria has no reason whatsoever to be importing food items.

1. After President Muhammadu Buhari returned from his trip to the United States, the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, who accompanied him stated that the US officials had disclosed to the delegation that a Minister in the ex-president Goodluck Jonathan administration stole $6 billion. The identity of the Minister was not revealed. President Muhammadu Buhari was surely interested in the case and would recover the said amount.

1. During Jonathan’s administration, two Nigerians and an Israel were arrested at the Lanseria International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa, on September 5th last year, and security operatives confiscated $9.3 million cash stashed in three suitcases in a private jet that flew in from Nigeria.

The South African authorities also last October seized yet $5.7 million cash belonging to Nigeria for arms purchase. The South Africa Ambassador to Nigeria, Lulu Mnguni, had reportedly said his country was ready to return the money to Nigeria. However, the money was not correctly returned to Nigeria as emphasized by President Muhammadu Buhari.

1. The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) confiscated $2.1 million from one bureau de change operator, Ibiteye Bamidele at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos on 3rd July, 2015 with the amount suspected to be laundered money.

Further investigations revealed that former Chief Executive Officer of National Insurance Health Scheme (NHIS), Olufemi Thomas, was implicated in the $2.1 million confiscated by the NDLEA. The EFCC quizzed the boss over the allegations of financial crimes. With this case already in the public view, President Muhammadu Buhari would definitely urge the anti-graft agency to get to the roots of the matter and retrieve the money.

This is Nigeria. If President Muhammadu Buhari would not have being freely and fairly elected into the Office, how would all these frauds, mismanagement, stealing, robbery, etc emerge and be prosecuted in a court of law? The answer remains with you and them!