Probe Babangida, Abacha’s ministers, Okurounmu tells Buhari

Femi Okurounmu

A former Secretary-General of the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Senator Femi Okurounmu, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to probe ministers that served during the tenure of the late dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, and a former maximum ruler, Ibrahim Babangida.
Okurounmu said although Abacha was dead, some of the ministers who served during his tenure are still enjoying public funds looted during his regime.
Speaking with our correspondents on Tuesday in Lagos, the Yoruba leader said the foundation of corruption was laid during Abacha and Babangida’s regime.
 

 He said, “If I were President Buhari, I will begin the probe and recovery of public funds from 1985 during Babangida’s regime. The regime of Babangida laid the foundation for massive corruption in public service. After Babangida’s rule, he should proceed to Abacha’s regime. Even though Abacha is dead, some of his ministers are still enjoying the ill-gotten wealth and there are evidences that can be used to indict them and get the funds back.”
Okurounmu, who represented Ogun-Central in the Senate, said the concept of plea bargaining in the country’s criminal justice system was wrongly copied from the United States.
He said the recovery of public funds should not stop the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from jailing those that benefited from the arms fund.
“When people are caught stealing public money, they must not be shielded from proper justice. When the EFCC ask the looters to return the stolen funds, and they go scot free, that is not how to fight corruption. The EFCC should not postpone their trials.

“Nigeria is fond of copying things wrongly. The concept of plea bargaining was not part of our criminal justice system; it was copied from the US. I know a lot about the US. When you talk of plea bargain in the US, it does not stop those indicted of corruption from getting proper and adequate punishment.”