Date Published: 12/12/10

Citizens for Change mobilises UK based Nigerians to support the UK Travel Ban campaign against corrupt Nigerian leaders.

This is a call for action!

We call on all Nigerians and friends of Nigeria in the United Kingdom to take advantage of their political and demographic power to persuade the United Kingdom government to take a zero tolerance stance against corrupt Nigerian politicians and officials whom we have information about their corrupt activities by signing and sending the letter below to their respective Members of Parliament (MPs).

The letter urges MPs to advocate for a United Kingdom Travel ban, financial sanctions and any other restrictive measures against the likes of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida, former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and former Attorney General of Nigeria, Michael Aondoakaa who has already been banned from entering the United States due to his corrupt activities while in office. Once a United Kingdom travel ban is enforced, we would then extend the campaign to the European Union for an European wide travel ban.

The letter also queries the effectiveness of the range of measures in place against corrupt foreign politicians as it appears that the UK remains a favourite destination for some corrupt African leaders to launder and enjoy the proceeds of their crimes. It is public knowledge that Mr James Ibori, A Nigerian Ex-Governor successfully laundered the money he embezzled through the UK before nemesis caught up with him. .

We are forced to take this step because the current Nigerian government dispensation as led by President Goodluck Jonathan has so far failed to demonstrate  the political will and determination required for  combating corruption, thereby allowing corrupt self-serving politicians to continuously loot the Nigerian treasury with unrivalled impunity.  Apart from not taking firm action against the individuals such as those named in the Travel Ban letter, A typical example that underpins the assertion above is the reluctance to launch a full-scale investigation against Dimeji Bankole and other senior members of the Nigerian House of Representatives despite the mountain of allegations of corruptions levelled against them. 

Mr Dimeji Bankole, a British citizen and the current speaker of the Nigerian House of Representatives is highly suspected of possible involvement in money laundering activities in the United Kingdom.  The allegations against him, indicate his culpability in the inflated N5.4bn vehicle contract fraud at the National Assembly.

We believe that the anticipated deluge of the attached letter to so many MP’s from every Nigerian and friend of Nigeria in the United Kingdom will sensitize and significantly affect the United Kingdom’s Government policy and attitude towards corrupt Nigerian politicians and officials as MP’s are duty bound to raise questions in the House on behalf of their constituents and seek answers to issues of concern to such constituents from Ministers.

So much has been said and written about corruption in Africa but very little has been done internationally to discourage the perpetrators and compel them to change their attitudes.  It is imperative to turn the international spotlight on this heinous crime of corruption in Africa and get the international community to recognise it as a crime against humanity so that it can attract the international retribution considering the debilitating effect it has on millions of its innocent African victims condemned to a life of abject poverty and human suffering.

We can take courage from the stern words and strict actions of the British Courts in jailing the wife , mistress and sister of an ex Nigerian governor as well as the U.K’s continued pursuit to extradite Mr James Ibori  from Dubai to face trial in the U.K.

There is an urgent need for more concerted actions of this nature to instill fear in corrupt politicians and possibly shame the Nigerian law enforcement agencies to begin to dispense their duties with due diligence in the interest of the Nigerian public.

A roll of honour will be produced and constantly updated to reflect those MP’s who have taken the noble step of joining in the fight against corruption in Nigeria

We hereby call on all groups interested in the progress of Nigeria that are based in the United States, Europe and other parts of the democratic developed world to come together and mobilise Nigerians and friends of Nigeria in their respective countries to send petitions and letters to their elected representatives to persuade their governments to hold corrupt Nigerian politicians to account.