Undignified Silence On Looters’ Identities

The Federal High Court order on the Federal Government to make public, information about public officials who allegedly looted government’s treasury, seems to be one of the news Nigerians have been yearning for.
Many have tagged it a welcome relief and a plus for democracy, having waited since May 2016, on the Federal Government to do the needful.  It is, indeed, the only way of making the loot recovery process more transparent, especially coming from an administration which professes  zero tolerance for corruption.
Justice Hadiza Shagari of a Federal High Court in Lagos had earlier in the month, in a suit filed by a civil society organisation, Socio Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), against the Federal Government, demanded that the latter makes public, information on the identity of suspected public officials involved in looting government’s treasury.
Hadiza’s judgement is coming on the heels of claims by the government that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) actually recovered huge sums of ‘stolen’ money from some public officials but had refused to release names of suspected looters as well as other relevant information about them. Many Nigerians have, however, faulted this claim, questioning  whether the EFCC is a distinct body from the Federal Government.
Of course, Nigerians can not be fooled all the time by politicians, certainly not in an era of freedom of information. Granted that a suspect remains innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction, Nigerians are not demanding for suspected looters’ identity as ‘confirmed looters.’ Rather, they want to know who the alleged looters are and how much they have refunded.
Reasons abound why suspected looters’ identities must be made known publicly. The public needs to be aware of such personalities so as to be careful of them until they are otherwise proven by court of competent jurisdiction. Publication of corrupt government officials’ identity generally will go a long way in checking corrupt practices in our political system. It will keep players on their toes as they become wary of acts capable of jeopardizing their political and social integrity.
Justice Shagari, by her judgement, has simply stated the obvious and by extention, expressed neutrality in a fight against corruption. A step very few Nigerians can take.
Going by the judgement, the Federal Government has a legally binding obligation to tell Nigerians the names of all suspected looters of the public treasury, past and present. The public could not have been said to be demanding so much, after all, it is their right.
Although the judgement reads that the government should immediately release to Nigerians information about the names of high-ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered, as well as the exact amount of funds recovered from each, nothing tangible seems to have come from the Federal Government so far. The government is rather dishing out the same music the public is used to.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has continued to bore his listeners with his suspended narrative, as he constantly re-echoes the various amount of funds retrieved, as well as the much that the Federal Government anticipates to repatriate from foreign countries. He has also announced the non-cash recoveries, which included farmlands, completed and uncompleted buildings,  vehicles and maritime vessels.
I think the court’s  judgement on the issue is clear enough to be understood by the executive. This merry-go-round on issues that are obvious has not helped the country in the past, and so has outlived its usefulness in the present.
Nigerians would rather want President Muhammadu Buhari  and his Vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to live up to their words that “we will do everything within the law to ensure full compliance with this landmark judgement”.
However, the words of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, in this regard, leaves much to be desired. Abubakar Malami had said “the government has agreed to publish the information but only after it has fulfilled judicial principles”.
Carefully choosing his words, he said, “the issue that is fundamentally worthy of consideration, is the fact that the government will ‘definitely’ be alive to its responsibility as far as those disclosures are concerned”.
He continued; “You have to take into consideration that there are a lot of factors that are to be considered as far as making those disclosures are concerned. So, the government will, at the appropriate time, make necessary disclosures, perhaps intermittently, against the background of the prevailing condition relating to the tendency of certain suits and associated things.”
Could Malami’s insistence on certain factors he considers fundamental in carrying out the court’s order, be signaling another violation of the rule of law by this administration?
Malami’s statement smacks of a government that is not ready to willingly respect the rule of law.
I pray this will not be another occasion to flout the law in the guise of fulfilling judicial principles. Nigerians would repose more confidence in this administration if it stands out in its fight against corruption by not shielding any ‘sacred cow’, and ensuring that looted funds are judiciously plunged back into the system.

Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi