In an article published in the Washington Post, President Muhammadu Buhari
is urging President Barrack Obama to help trace the whereabout of $150
Billion stolen by previous administration.
Read on:
This month, the world moved a step closer to the defeat of Boko Haram, the
jihadist group that has terrorized hundreds of thousands in the northern
states of Nigeria. In one of my first acts since taking office as
president six weeks ago, I have replaced the heads of Nigeria’s army, navy
and air force. Our new military leadership has not been chosen because of
their familiarity with those in government, as was too often the case in
the past, but on their track records and qualifications alone.
These new military leaders will be based in Borno State in northern
Nigeria, where the headquarters of the armed services has been relocated.
This shift of resources and command directly to the front line, in
addition to the replacement of the head of the State Security Service,
Nigeria’s intelligence organization, and a new emphasis on working in
partnership with our neighbors, has equipped us to take the fight directly
to Boko Haram.
Already we are beginning to see a degrading of Boko Haram’s capabilities
as a fighting force. In recent weeks, it appears to have shifted away from
confronting the military directly to an increase in attacks on civilian
areas, as we saw only last week when an elderly woman and 10-year-old girl
blew themselves up at a Muslim prayer gathering in northeastern Nigeria.
We should not be confused by this change, hateful as it is: It does not
mean that Boko Haram is succeeding in its aims — it shows that it is
losing.
While we work to defeat the terrorists, I ask the people of Nigeria and
the world for resolve and fortitude. The campaign we will wage will not be
easy; it may not be swift. We should expect stages of success and also
moments when it may appear that our advances have been checked. But no one
should have any doubt as to the strength of our collective will or my
commitment to rid this nation of terror and bring back peace and normalcy
to all affected areas.
Similarly, my determination should not be underestimated in other matters.
This includes instilling good governance and tackling the scourge of
corruption that has held Nigeria back for too long.
As I meet with President Obama today — the first time a president of the
United States will encounter a Nigerian counterpart following the peaceful
transfer of power in a contested election in our history — I will be
discussing my plans for critical reforms. So, too, will I discuss why the
formation of my administration is taking time and, crucially, why it must.
Already there are voices saying these changes are taking too long — even
though only six weeks have passed since my inauguration. I hear such
calls, but this task cannot and should not be rushed.
When cabinet ministers are appointed in September, it will be some months
after I took the oath of office. It is worth noting that Obama himself did
not have his full Cabinet in place for several months after first taking
office; the United States did not cease to function in the interim. In
Nigeria’s case, it would neither be prudent nor serve the interests of
sound government to have made these appointments immediately on my
elevation to the presidency; instead, Nigeria must first put new rules of
conduct and good governance in place.
I cannot stress how important it is to ensure that this process is carried
out correctly, just as it has been crucial to first install the correct
leadership of the military and security services before we fully take the
fight to Boko Haram.
There are too few examples in the history of Nigeria since independence
where it can be said that good management and governance were instituted
at a national level. This lack of a governance framework has allowed many
of those in charge, devoid of any real checks and balances, to plunder.
The fact that I now seek Obama’s assistance in locating and returning $150
billion in funds stolen in the past decade and held in foreign bank
accounts on behalf of former, corrupt officials is testament to how badly
Nigeria has been run. This way of conducting our affairs cannot continue.
Indeed, the failure of governance, it can be argued, has been as much a
factor in Nigeria’s inability thus far to defeat Boko Haram as have been
issues with the military campaign itself.
So the path we must take is simple, even if it is not easy: First, instill
rules and good governance; second, install officials who are experienced
and capable of managing state agencies and ministries; and third, seek to
recover funds stolen under previous regimes so that this money can be
invested in Nigeria for the benefit of all of our citizens.
We seek the support and partnership of the United States in these tasks.
The importance of the fight against terrorism and corruption in Nigeria,
Africa’s most powerful economy and largest populace, cannot be
underestimated. Our allies can provide much-needed military training and
intelligence as our soldiers take the war effort to Boko Haram. Similarly,
we look to U.S. businesses as well as the Obama administration to help
develop governance initiatives that can ensure that Nigeria’s wealth
benefits all its people, not just a few. By taking these steps, we will be
positioned to benefit from increased investment — particularly in energy
and electricity — from the United States.
I was elected on a platform of change. I know this is what the people of
Nigeria desire more than anything else. I know they are impatient for
action. I realize the world waits to see evidence that my administration
will be different from all those that came before. Yet reforming my
country after so many years of abuse cannot be achieved overnight. In our
campaigns against both Boko Haram and corruption, we should remain
steadfast and remember, as it is said: “Have patience. All things become
difficult before they become easy.”