Nigeria
has been classified as a corrupt country with a poor governance record, while
discrimination against women, the less privileged, lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) people is common place.
United
States Secretary of State, John Kerry made the corruption allegations on
Thursday in his well- advertised “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices”
which he presented at the Press Briefing Room of the State Department in
Washington.
Kerry warned that the US was not acting out of arrogance but to plug the pitfalls arising from its experiment at home and help the human race against making avoidable mistakes.
“Even
as we come together today to issue a report on other nations, we hold ourselves
to a high standard and we expect accountability here at home too. And we
know that we’re not perfect. We don’t speak with any arrogance whatsoever, but
with a concern for the human condition,” the Secretary of State said.
This
year’s report, he stressed, “is especially timely coming on the heels of one of
the most momentous years in the struggle for greater rights and freedoms in
modern history.”
Confirming
an earlier report by THISDAY that the US would give Nigeria a minus in its
country report on gay rights and extra-judicial killings, Kerry said: “From
Nigeria to Russia to Iran, indeed in some 80 countries the world over, LGBT
communities face discriminatory laws and practices that attack their basic
human dignity and undermine their safety.
“We
are seeing new laws like the Anti-Homosexuality Bill enacted by Uganda and
signed into law by President Yoweri Museveni earlier this week, which not only
makes criminals of people for who they are, but punishes those who defend the
human rights that are our universal birthright,” Kerry said
The
more than 20,000 words document touched on virtually every aspect of
Nigeria’s constitution while most of the time scoring the country poorly for
its performance, taking a huge swipe on the anti-corruption agencies-the EFCC,
ICPC and the Police.
The report which ranked the EFCC’s commitment to the anti-corruption war higher than that of the ICPC said Ibrahim Lamorde’s efforts at prosecuting offenders were frustrated along the way.
The report which ranked the EFCC’s commitment to the anti-corruption war higher than that of the ICPC said Ibrahim Lamorde’s efforts at prosecuting offenders were frustrated along the way.
“The
anticorruption efforts of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC)
and EFCC remained largely ineffectual. The ICPC holds broad authorities to
prosecute all forms of corruption, whereas the EFCC is tasked with handling
only financial crimes. Despite this wider mandate, the ICPC had achieved only
68 convictions since its inauguration in 2000.”
Repeating
its earlier disapproval of President Goodluck Jonathan’s pardon of former
Bayelsa State governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, it noted that Police corruption
remained rampant. “In January, the police released a new code of conduct, which
includes provisions on officer integrity. The police did not report any
enforcement actions related to the code of conduct.”
It
condemned the impunity with which officials of the Nigerian government
allegedly frequently engaged in corrupt practices at all levels with the police
and security forces factored in, wondering why the constitution provides
immunity from civil and criminal prosecution for the president, vice president,
governors, and deputy governors while in office.
On
the issue of declaration of assets, the country report did not spare President
Goodluck Jonathan for not disclosing his assets.
Financial
disclosure law, it said, requires public officials, including the president,
vice president, governors, deputy governors, cabinet ministers, and legislators
(at both federal and state levels), to declare their assets to the Code of
Conduct Bureau before assuming and after leaving office with violators risking
prosecution. However, it lamented, cases rarely came to conclusion.
“The
president had not published information on his assets as of year’s end,”
insisting the law required declaration of assets but not publication of the
report.
The
report listed an array of cases left hanging including that of former Bayelsa
State governor Timipre Sylva for allegedly laundering over N5 billion; the yet
to be tried John Yakubu Yusuf who is alleged to have embezzled N2 billion from
the Police Pension Fund; Farouk Lawan who was also alleged to have solicited
bribe from Zenon boss Femi Otedola.
Lamorde,
according to the report, seemed to have been constrained “by the fact he is
being tele-guided by those that put him in office, on who to arrest and
prosecute while his efforts at trying 12 prominent public officials met a brick
wall with several frustrating setbacks during the year.”
The
report continued: “Despite the arrest of several high-ranking officials by the
EFCC, including Dimeji Bankole and Hassan Lawal, who have been left off the
hook, allegations continued that agency investigations targeted individuals who
had fallen out of favour with the government, while those who were in favour
continued their activities with impunity.”
In
conclusion, Kerry summarised once more the reason for his country report
exercise: “This is about accountability. It’s about ending
impunity. And it’s about a fight that has gone on for centuries, as long
as human beings have been able to think and write and speak and act on their
own.
“And
so, the United States of America will continue to speak out, without a hint of
arrogance or apology, on behalf of people who stand up for their universal
rights. And we will stand up in many cases for those who are deprived of
the opportunity to be able to stand up for themselves.”
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GEJ is indeed the most corrupt leader in Africa but his supporters keep saying some pple promise to make d country ungovernable. Pls who also ask him to loot this nation dry?
ReplyDeleteGEJ 2nd name is corruption.
ReplyDeleteJust convert $20bn into naira, its about 3.2 trillion which is almost the total budget of the counrty looted by this wicked man within months.
ReplyDeleteThe man need money to buy italian shoes n bags
ReplyDeleteJonathan is only riding on sentiment
ReplyDeleteIt is a big shame that things never improve but get worst and some people are rejoicing and taking in dis administration even asking 4 another term 4 him,this is why he kept going more corrupt,it is bad,USA is speaking d truth
ReplyDeletei guess all comments above was mde by one fool.. the goat that said he stole the 20billion dolls should ask his friend sanusi so he will tell him that the so called missing money is remits from 2008 till date.
ReplyDeletePls give us proof that what the Americans are saying is not correct instead of insulting the people that express their views
ReplyDeleteGEJ is now a confirmed international armed robber.
ReplyDeleteI'm not surprised that some of us will sacrifice the truth on the alter of tribalism
ReplyDeleteAgreed Nigerian government are very corrupt but the USA and their cohorts should shove their observation in their ass.Enough of all dis holyer than thou attitude,dis idiots will steal our money and bring it in their countries they will welcome them with both hands now they want to tell us about corruption.They think we don't know what they are doing in the high seas exchanging our oil for arms.If Nigeria is corrupt the last idiots to remind us that is America and britain cos they are all accomplice
ReplyDeleteComments on corruption okay but gay rights, lesbians etc., no way!!!
ReplyDeleteKerry is insane and confuse on wht to say.we don't need ur assistance.Gay,lesbian,Homosexual is not our culture.God forbids such thing.God created man and Woman with a reason.not man and man or woman and woman.Repent America!stop deceiving Africa.enough is enough!!
ReplyDeleteThis is a damaging report to the jonathan administration. Now his the time we allow the opposition to control govt. The opposition are well managed, better organised, well cordinated and fully on grounds. The US has done well to highlight all the impunity in our counrtry but the issue now his how can it be enforced.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing that is happening in Nigeria that has not happened in America. Killing of children by insurgents, bribery etc. they should remove the log from their eye.
ReplyDeleteI said this Jonathan is corrupt but his supporters refuted it , now America , the worlds banker has corroborated my claims. Prase the living God. Amen!
ReplyDeleteVictory shut up. Is America God. They are offended because Jonathan refused to change the anti-gay bill. Are they better off? We don't need dem. They should go and rest. Jonathan may not be good. I have not seen among the past Nigerian presidents who is better because if there was any good one before now we won't be borrowing from America.
ReplyDeleteTrue talk John Kerry, but be specific when u say that Nigeria is a corrupt nation or do we say simply because Homosexuality is legalize in the US, does that mean that every America men we come across re gay? The United state of America Government should do more than just speaking out, but rather go further by refusing all past and present Nigeria government officials that has refused to declare their assets from entry into the United State and Europe.
ReplyDeleteJohn kerry and Victory were both delivered through their fathers anus so the gay bill should be condemed fools.Show me who is not corrupt in nigeria and I will tell his or her doings wright from child birth
ReplyDelete