USA Africa Dialogue Series - Nigerians Must Rise Against Looters -Bakare, Daiyabu, Aremu

Nigerians Must Rise Against Looters -Bakare, Daiyabu, Aremu  

Published on April 24, 2012 by pmnews
Activists in Nigeria have challenged Nigerians to rise up against corrupt leaders who continue to steal billions of naira from the public till.
With the fuel subsidy probe exposing the trillions of naira stolen by individuals and oil marketers and the case of the conviction of former governor, James Ibori still fresh in mind, activists believe this is the right time for Nigerians to rise up against corrupt leaders.
Fiery Pastor and convener, Save Nigeria Group, SNG, Tunde Bakare said this is the right time for Nigerians to rise up against corrupt leaders and take their destiny in their hands, but cautioned against violence.
"Nigerians must rise up and take their destiny in their own hands. They must not resort to violence. If they don't rise up now, history will not be on their side," said Bakare, who spoke with our reporter.
He said the fuel subsidy report must not be swept under the carpet and must be implemented to the letter, while Nigerians must not sleep.
President, Movement for Justice in Nigeria, MOJIN, Abdulkarim Daiyabu said the over N1 trillion subsidy fraud discovered to have been stolen is equivalent to 25 percent of this year's budget of the federal government. He said the figure disclosed by Farouk Lawan Committee was not all the money that was stolen, adding that the total amount stolen will be far higher than that.
Daiyabu suggested that only a thorough investigation by reputable Nigerians can establish the true amount stolen in the name of fuel subsidy, noting, "even at N1.4 trillion, every Nigerian will collect N6.2 million, with an estimated population of 160 million; and a balance of N40 billion will be left."
He expressed the fear that the actual amount stolen could be twice or thrice the N1.4 trillion discovered by the committee.
The MOJIN president wondered what became of the loot reportedly seized from the late General Sani Abacha, Tafa Balogun and James Ibori, etc.
"If we are not cursed, it is now our responsibility, we, the entire innocent Nigerian masses to wake up from our slumber to fight for our dues until we win. Nobody can fight for us, we can do it by ourselves. Once there is will, there is a way. God willing, we shall win," Daiyabu submitted.
Constitutional lawyer, Itse Sagay, said protest against corrupt leaders is key to achieving development in a nation like Nigeria, saying that corrupt activities of government must be criticised.
Mr. Yinka Odumakin, scribe, SNG, added that "it is clear, like we said in January during the fuel subsidy protest that we must 'Kill Corruption, Not Nigerians,' if we don't kill corruption, it will kill us.
"It is high time Nigerians rose up against corrupt leaders and say enough is enough. Save Nigeria Group will rise up if the recommendations of the fuel subsidy reports are not implemented to the letter."
Odumakin stated that if the recommendations were not implemented, SNG would call out Nigerians for a mother of all protests to hold this government accountable.
According to Barrister Chris Akiri, "Nigerians must not be silent at this time. We can't continue like this. There is the fear by Nigerians that the fuel subsidy report is about to be swept under the carpet as we expect it to be.
"If this should happen, we are in trouble and if we keep our mouths shut now, we are in trouble. Nigerians have to be vociferous about this as it is a serious matter."
In his reaction, the National President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Yerima Shettima, warned that any attempt to sweep the report under the carpet would be met with stiff resistance by Nigerians.
According to him, what happened in January in the aftermath of the announcement of fuel subsidy removal by the President would be a preamble to what the government and oil marketers would face in the event that they attempt to frustrate the implementation of the report.
He said: "this is one of the most critical moments in the country and the fight is no longer that of the National Assembly or the executive.
"It is now time for political office holders who are patriotic to the country, the average Nigerian whether partisan or not and professional organisations to come together and fight this fight for the sake of our future and that of our children.
"If they try to frustrate Farouk Lawan Committee report, what happened in January would only become a preamble to what the country would face this time.
"We would ensure a total shut down of the country by mobilising Nigerians and we would go after those indicted because we now know them."
The General Secretary of the Joint Action Front (JAF) which spearheaded the struggle against fuel subsidy removal in January, Abiodun Aremu, informed P.M.NEWS that the struggle had gone beyond subsidy removal as it had further led to the unearthing of other issues that have been pulling down the country.
According to him, it is now very clear that the country needs system change with what the House had discovered.
"We should not just be contented with asking for the cabal to be punished. It would be like calling on a thief to prosecute a thief.
"It has also gone beyond institutional mechanisms like the EFCC.
"So what we should do now is to allow our collective anger to begin to bear on the society and on these indicted people by making sure that everywhere in the country becomes a 'no-where' for them," he said.
Barrister Mustafa Nwaokobia said every member of the public, the civil society groups as well as the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) should ensure that the report is not swept under the carpet.
He said he would continue to spearhead the fight for a better society even after the culprits in the oil subsidy scam have been punished.
He said that apart from making the culprits refund whatever they have stolen, they must also be made a scapegoat for other Nigerians to learn their lessons and that anything short of this would make him and other Nigerians mobilise people and take over the streets again.
He also said Nigerians should be on the look-out for those who are attempting to frustrate the House because of the report and ensure that they are made to face societal sanctions.
"We must unite in this country to make sure the era of white papers, yellow papers and if you like, blue papers without implementation are stopped.
"If this particular report is not implemented, we would be forced to return to the streets, this time with serious anger.
"They should remember that we now have a new Egypt, Libya and Tunisia because the people of those country decided to stop keeping quiet," he said, adding that Nigerians must take back their country by going on the streets.
Former Governor of the old Kano state, Balarabe Musa, while supporting the call to ensure that the report is not left to gather dust, however, urged Nigerians to be patient till the House of Representatives finish with the report.
Comrade Debo Adeniran of the Coalition against Corrupt Leaders supports Alhaji Musa even as he added that the use of brute force by the security agencies against peaceful protesters must be frustrated by Nigerians.
He warned the Inspector-General of Police that he should know that the barbaric actions of the police in such situations would sever the support he is enjoying from Nigerians currently.
"The probe is still on and we must wait since it would be premature to embark on rallies by what we only got from the media," he said, adding, however, that Nigerians must be prepared to act against any move to frustrate the House Committee.

-Kazeem Ugbodaga & Eromosele Ebhomele

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