Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says it is expected that criminal allegations will be filed against Babachir Lawal, former secretary to the government of the federation, following a directive from President Muhammadu Buhari that he should be prosecuted.
Lawal was
sacked after a senate committee indicted him on misappropriating funds
meant for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the north-east but he
denied any wrongdoing.
Buhari had relinquished him and Ayo Oke,
director-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), of their
positions.Oke’s dismissal followed the discovery of $43 million at an
apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Osinbajo spoke when he honoured the invitation of The Christian Youths under the aegis of the GRILL, Ikeja branch.
He
said the Buhari administration will not share public funds to friends
and families, adding that the president deserved to be re-elected
because of the way he had addressed grand corruption.
While
answering questions from the audience on the former SGF, Osinbajo said
Lawal and Oke were recommended for prosecution by the committee he
chaired.I think the first thing for us is that the report was acted
upon; the former SGF was dismissed,” he said.
“Secondly,
the president has directed that the SGF and former DG of NIA should be
prosecuted.So, we are expecting that prosecution will take place. The
next of course is that criminal allegations will be filed against them
and the prosecution process will be completed.”
He blamed corruption for the woes of the country, saying stealing is not taking place under this government.
“Corruption
has had detrimental effects on Nigeria’s economy. This country was
subjected to corruption for many years. Grand corruption perpetuated by
previous governments is responsible for the state of the economy,” he
said.
“Many of the projects in the country initiated by the
previous government are not completed because of corruption. Grand
corruption makes people start projects and never complete them.
“Grand
corruption is when the head of government takes money from the treasury
and shares it to the people.“You will never find people stealing from
the public treasury under this administration.
“The same individuals who robbed this country are saying they want to come back and fix the problems.
We
should ask them what they are going to do about grand corruption? How
are you sure they are not going to enrich their friends with public
funds.”
The vice president, however, called for more tolerance among Christians and Muslims in the country.
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