President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in London urged the international
community to urgently create anti-corruption infrastructure and a strategic
action plan to facilitate the speedy recovery and repatriation of stolen
funds hidden in secret bank accounts abroad.
Speaking at the opening of the Anti-Corruption Summit hosted by Prime
Minister David Cameron of Britain, President Buhari said that new measures
against corruption that will be adopted by the summit should also include
mechanisms that will assist countries like Nigeria to combat illegal
activities such as crude oil theft to which, he said, Nigeria loses about
$7 Billion annually.
“When it comes tackling corruption, the international community has
unfortunately looked away for too long. We need to step up and tackle this
evil together. That is why we have gathered here today.
“Corruption creates a system where resources are shared by a small elite
while the majority wallows in poverty. Corruption also undermines the
ability of countries to finance development.
“I recall in this regard, the landmark Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the 3rd
International Conference on Finance for Development held in January this
year.
“A prominent feature of that global framework is the recognition that good
governance and measures to combat corruption and curb illicit financial
flows will be integral to the effort to attain sustainable development
globally by the year 2050.
“It is for this reason that my Government is determined to address illicit
financial outflows which have served as a major impediment to progress in
our country.
“I wish to reiterate our demand that the global community must come up with
mechanisms for dismantling safe havens for stolen funds and facilitate the
return of stolen assets to their countries of origin,” President Buhari
said.
In his opening remarks at the summit, Prime Minister Cameron applauded
President Buhari’s vigorous efforts to curb corruption in Nigeria.
Other speakers at the opening session included the President of the World
Bank, Dr. Jim Yong Kim and the United States Secretary of State, Mr. John
Kerry.