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Looters paying up, to face trial soon, says Buhari

By Mohammed Abubakar, Abuja
25 November 2015   |   1:12 am
IN a clear admission of guilt, some past public officers who misappropriated funds have discreetly begun to return such stolen funds into government coffers.
Buhari

Buhari

• Vows to tackle saboteurs in electricity sector • Canvasses fair pricing for gas
IN a clear admission of guilt, some past public officers who misappropriated funds have discreetly begun to return such stolen funds into government coffers.

President Muhammadu Buhari, who is attending the third Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Iran, made the disclosure in Tehran, the Iranian capital at a forum with the Nigerian community in that country.

Buhari admitted that there were those he called saboteurs working to frustrate the nation’s quest for steady electricity supply. He, however, noted that steps were being taken to ensure that the schemes of such saboteurs were neutralised.

To tackle the problems of theft and gas sabotage, the President also announced to them that the existing military task forces would be reorganised to ensure a successful protection of the network of gas pipelines.

Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to the president, Garba Shehu quoted Buhari as making the assertion in a question-and-answer session with the Nigerian community.

He assured that the Military Task-Force with representation from the Army, Navy, Air Force, the Police and other security agencies would be reconstituted to secure the pipelines.

Addressing the summit, Buhari charged the GECF to take appropriate steps towards sustaining the pricing of gas at the international market for the benefit of member countries.

Making the call during his remarks at the summit, the president disclosed that Nigeria was taking appropriate steps to turn its abundant gas resources into a veritable catalyst for development just as he called on the forum to foster technical and economic cooperation among member states.

The president’s declaration on alleged treasury looters may have confirmed speculations that some prominent political players in the last dispensation have begun to discreetly return public funds they stole.
Day of reckoning coming soon for treasury looters

Buhari told the Nigerian community in Iran that those accused of corruption would have been prosecuted by now but for the need to thoroughly investigate them with a view to gathering enough evidence for their eventual trial.

He admitted that it was easier for him during his tenure as a military Head of State in 1984/85 to arrest and put those alleged corrupt individuals in ‘protective custody’ for them to prove their innocence but the dictates of rule of law and due process had slowed him down in prosecuting corruption in this dispensation.

On corruption, yes, they are still innocent. But, we are collecting documents and some of them have started voluntarily, returning something. But we want all. When we get those documents, we will formally charge them to court and then we will tell Nigerians to know those who abused trust when they are entrusted with public funds. So, the day of reckoning is gradually approaching.”

Buhari, who disclosed that he was yet to give any policy directive on the electricity sector before the improvement in service experienced in the country in the past few months, said his government would ensure that the needful, especially improvement of security, was done to ensure regular electricity supply.

He said: “I believe if you are in touch with home, you would have been told that already there is some improvement in power supply, though we haven’t said anything to them yet. I think they only find it sensible or appropriate to try and improve power supply.
“I’m sure you know about the privatisation of the power sector; your old friends National Electric Power Authority or Power Holding Company of Nigeria have been sold to a number of interest groups. But, the fundamental thing about us is that we remain potential in everything except performance.”

According to the president, who, doubles as the Petroleum Minister, though the country has a lot of gas reserves, some unpatriotic Nigerians, hide under different guises to sabotage efforts to ensure steady electricity supply.

His words: “We have a lot of gas, we have a lot of qualified people, but again we have a lot of saboteurs who go and blow up installations. Those who steal Nigeria’s crude and those who blow up installations, whether they call themselves militants or whatever, they are still there.”
Buhari also told the Nigerian community that his administration was resolute in combating the Boko Haram insurgency even as he assured them that peace would soon return to the troubled north-eastern states of the country.

Nigeria is gas-supply hub for West Africa
The president, while pointing out that Nigeria, had in the past focused on developing crude oil but was facing global decline in revenues from the resource , however, expressed the hope that the nation’s proven gas reserve base currently put at 188 trillion cubic feet could actually be in excess of 600 trillion when developed.

He assured participants that Nigeria remained the hub for natural gas supply in the West African sub-region with the construction of 681-kilometre West African Gas Pipeline, which currently transmits gas from the country to neighbouring Benin, Togo and Ghana.

He said: “The stability of the energy and financial market is critical to ensuring investments in current and future natural gas projects. It is, therefore, imperative that the GECF plays a significant role towards energy security by driving the formulation of a sustainable pricing mechanism that will guarantee fair and reasonable prices for both producers and consumers.”

Buhari also charged the forum on the need to deploy research and development initiatives towards technology innovations in exploration and development processing, logistics and marketing for the benefit of member countries.

While charging members to ensure that the exploration of gas resources was done in a sustainable manner so as not to jeopardise the security of the future generations of member states, Buhari called on members to ensure optimum gas reserves replacement and more efforts towards ending routine gas flaring in the shortest possible time.

In his welcome remarks earlier, the chairman of the forum and President of the Islamic Republic of Iran called for cooperation of member states for them to get maximum benefits from the natural resources.

This was just as the Secretary to the GECF, Seyed Mohammad Hossein Adeli, informed the forum that Azerbaijan had indicated to join the body as an observer state.

He noted that the body had begun to command international recognition and credibility just as he stressed the need for member countries to build mutual understanding and address common challenges facing gas-producing nations.
Those member countries that attended the summit included presidents of Russia, Venezuela, Equatorial Guinea, Algeria and Bolivia.

19 Comments

  • Author’s gravatar

    Good talk. What Nigerians are interested in is to get all the stolen funds and prosecute the looters. No one wants them dead or languish in jail perpetually.

    • Author’s gravatar

      AND UPLIFT THE PLIGHT OF POOR MASSES AND PENSIONERS OF THE COUNTRY, USING THAT RETURNED LOOT, INSTEAD OF GIVING SECRET CONTRACTS HERE AND THERE FROM THE TREASURY SINGLE ACCOUNT(TSA). SO FAR, BUHARI HAS NOT REVEALED ANY PLAN FOR THE POOR MASSES AND PENSIONERS OF NIGERIA, WHO PUT HIM IN ASO ROCK IN THE FIRST INSTANCE.

      TIME FOR DAILY STORY TELLING IS OVER, IT IS THE TIME FOR MR BUHARI TO WALK HIS TALK, MORE THAN 6 MONTHS INTO HIS LOUSY AND SNAIL SPEED ADMINISTRATION OR ELSE BUHARI WILL ALSO GO INTO HISTORY AS ANOTHER CLUELESS, TALK-TALK, CORRUPT AND WORTHLESS PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA.

      • Author’s gravatar

        Please stop typing in capital letters. Make your point and stop shouting. You’re not fighting with anyone.

        • Author’s gravatar
        • Author’s gravatar

          let him shout in caps please. his vote is being betrayed daily as he sees fual scarcity, endless queues,. long darkness. The sunshine of April is turning to nightfall in november. better shout than take to street. the voters are beginning to shout because propaganda is drowning their voices

          • Author’s gravatar

            Nobody is happy with what is going on. I am only referring to ‘Netiquettes’. Typing comments in capital letters can be offensive and difficult to read. He is not conversing with Buhari here. He is conversing with us. Why didn’t you also type in capital letters?

          • Author’s gravatar

            i am directly conversing with buhari if you read all my comments, these are directly for him.

          • Author’s gravatar

            well said, much appreciate it. it is exactly my point.

        • Author’s gravatar

          My friend, Comicbishop, with all respect for you and other my friend readers on this forum, as you all know, the various governments have been found not only corrupt and fraudulent looting trillions of naira, doing almost nothing for the poor masses of nigeria and poor old age dying pensioners but also behaving blind, deaf and dumb. so it is very deliberate on my part to SHOUT so that one day my message will get through their thick corrupt skull and appreciated by my colleagues and friends on this forum. i do not belong to any political party and only appreciate those who can do something for the poor masses of nigeria, unemployed young and the dying old age pensioners. please support me fully on this forum with positive comments.

          i want to categorically state here, my writing in capital letters is no disrespect for any of the leaders on this forum. please bear with me. have a great day.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Is looter a name of person? What is the name of who secretly return looted money? Perhaps, Anaechi and Tinubu have returned the one they stole while Governors. Propagandist!
    You think you are in a military regime.

  • Author’s gravatar

    YES MR TOURIST PRESIDENT BUHARI, CONTINUE TO TELL NIGERIANS WHAT YOU THINK THEY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU EVERY DAY, 6 MONTHS INTO YOUR SNAIL- SPEED LOUSY ADMINISTRATION. BUT MR BUHARI, IF I MAY ASK YOU, IN WHAT WAY HAS THE REFUND OF LOOTED FUNDS IMPACTED ON THE LIVES OF POOR MASSES OF NIGERIA, THE UNEMPLOYED YOUTHS AND THE OLD AGE FRAIL PENSIONERS IN THE WAY OF PAYING- UP THEIR LEGITIMATE PENSION ARREARS OF 53.5% AND OTHER PENSION ENTITLEMENTS EXCEPT TO SHARE ROUTINELY THE NATION’S LOOT AMONG 36 LOOTER GOVERNORS AND YOURSELF EVERY MONTH WITHOUT ANY IMPACT ON NIGERIAN CITIZENS????????

    A RESPECTABLE LEADER OF ANY NATION WOULD FIRST SHOW CARE FOR ITS SENIOR CITIZENS- THE PENSIONERS. AS AN OLD PENSIONER YOURSELF, YOU SHOULD HAVE REALISED IT BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE BUT SORRY, MR BUHARI, I FORGOT YOU ARE NOW THE PRESIDENT OF OUR DEAR COUNTRY, NIGERIA, WITH ENOUGH FOOD ON YOUR OWN TABLE, SO YOU DO NOT NEED TO CARE ABOUT THE ONES WHO HAVE NONE BUT WHO PUT YOU IN ASO ROCK TO HAVE ALL THAT FOOD OF LUXURY?? IT SHOWS YOU ARE THE MOST SELFISH, CRUEL, RUTHLESS AND UNGRATEFUL PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA FOR YOU TO FORGET THE VERY POOR MASSES WHO HELPED YOU OCCUPY THE SEAT OF POWER WITH FALSE PROMISES. SO FAR, YOU HAVE SIMPLY DECEIVED, CHEATED AND BETRAYED THE POOR MASSES OF NIGERIA AND PENSIONERS AND ALL THIS SHOULD TOUCH UPON YOUR CONSCIENCE, IF YOU HAVE ANY. YOU ARE NOT EVEN CAPABLE OF PAYING WORKERS SALARIES AND PENSIONS EVERY MONTH IN TIME SINCE YOU OVERSHADOWED THE TREASURY SINGLE ACCOUNT(TSA) IN ABUJA. BY HABIT, INTERNALLY, YOU STILL REMAIN A VINDICTIVE AND ARROGANT DICTATOR WITH DOUBLE FACE AND DOUBLE STANDARDS KEEPING IN VIEW THAT DOLLAR MEN AND LOOTERS LIKE ATIKU AND TINUBU ETC ETC STILL REMAIN UNQUESTIONED ABOUT THEIR ILLEGITIMATE EMPIRES OF LOOTED FUNDS AND PROPERTIES BOTH HERE AND ABROAD, SO MUCH SO ON YOUR SO-CALLED WAR ON CORRUPTION???

    YOU OFTEN SPEAK OF UPHOLDING THE RULE OF LAW UNDER DEMOCRACY BUT YOU ARE YOURSELF BLATANTLY VIOLATING THE SO-CALLED “RULE OF LAW” BY DEPRIVING PENSIONERS THEIR LEGITIMATE FUNDAMENTAL PENSION RIGHTS AS WRITTEN IN THE NIGERIAN CONSTITUTION. SO FAR YOU ARE SIMPLY AN EMPTY TALKER

    PRESIDENT BUHARI, CONTINUE TO TALK, TALK AND TALK, DEVOID OF ANY REAL ACTIONS ON GROUND AND YOUR DAY OF RECKONING WILL ALSO CATCH UP WITH YOU SOONER THAN LATER JUST LIKE JONATHAN.

    YOU CAN FOOL SOME NIGERIANS FOR SOME TIME BUT NOT ALL NIGERIANS AT ALL THE TIME. YOU ARE SLOWLY BEING CAUGHT OUT WITH YOUR DAILY NEVER- ENDING TALK-TALK STORIES AND GOOD FOR NOTHING RHETORICS.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Propaganda! Propagand!! Propagand!!! Nigerians are tired of these propaganda, it won the election for you but honestly it will not be enough for governance. Nigerians are intelligent people.

  • Author’s gravatar

    fast becoming clueless. How can payments by individuals be secrets? if true he would happily call the names to prove he is working. it is true that when you keep repeating the same thing, you dont really believe yourself. which power is improving? which sabotuers? you used sabotuers in 1968 in civil war, you claimed economic sabotage in 1984, now in the 21st century in 2015 you still blame sabotuers! cant you see that human beings are driven by self interest and the function of leadership is to harness and redirect that self interest to the national interest? leaders dont start blaming their followers for their own failures.

  • Author’s gravatar

    One day corrupt judges and lawyers are frustrating loot recovery and then another day looters are returning loot. So what do we believe now? Another question we are not asking is, how much is being returned and who is keeping records? Since we don’t know and loot returners for obvious reasons will not come out to say what they returned, will this not open another window for the returned loot to be looted again?

  • Author’s gravatar

    Believe me, buhari’s administration is the most wicked government ever in the planet earth. How on earth can buhari packed money in trillions and stocked them in CBN under the so called TSA, while millions of Nigerians are groaning and dying of hunger, pains and lack. To me, this is nothing but wickedness. Its just like a father that kept his money in a bank and refused to provide food and shelter for his children. Buhari and his handlers are wicked souls. But then a country deserves a leader after their character.

  • Author’s gravatar

    While i’m a PMB supporter, I find it disheartening that he is happier to brief other countries on pertinent issues yet neglects its citizens. we are just kept in the dark on pertinent issues, only to hear updates when he makes international trips. Who is more important? What is bad in giving a presidential video broadcast? On returned fund..from who and how much? Are there plea bargains? How soon will evidence be made public and prosecution begin?..My thoughts

  • Author’s gravatar

    Mr. President Buhari, why are you collecting money from Looters without paying the money into the Federation Account?Nigerians do not want to see that money recovered from Corrupt leaders are Stolen by present Rulers. All the money that your friend Olusegun Obasanjo recovered from your brother Late General Sani Abacha has not be accounted for in the Federation Account as at today, 26 November 2015. This is a case of a Saint Leader stealing Looted money recovered from a past Thief Leader. Let Nigerians not experience such again Pay all recovered and returned money in your hands into the Federation Account now to AVOID temptation of looting (stealing) it.