Corruption: Past, Present public officers have abused their trust—Buhari

President Buhari has said that past and present public officers have abused their trust. Buhari said this while reacting for the first time on the allegations of corruption levelled against the leaderships of some Federal Government Agencies and Commissions. These commissions include the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The president, who spoke after observing his Eid prayers at the fore court of the presidential villa, observed that some appointees of the government in both his administration and the previous one have abused their trust. He, however, expressed delight that some stolen assets are being recovered, sold and proceeds put into the Single Treasury Account (TSA), which is inaccessible to the corrupt persons involved. When asked how he felt about recent revelations coming out from the EFCC and the NDDC, President Buhari said: “There has been abuse of trust by people trusted by previous administration and this administration.

“A number of assets have been recovered and some money. But we have introduced TSA where all the monies are taken and I said asset should be sold and the money be put through TSA so that it can be identified at any level and I will see who will come after us and take it back again to those who misappropriated public funds.”

While assuring that all past and present cases would be fully investigated, he said: “This is why we put the commission (of investigation) in place.” He stressed that all of such cases would be uncovered and firmly dealt with by his government. The Senate and House of Representatives are currently investigating how the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) allegedly squandered N40 billion within few months also Presidency had instituted a Presidential Probe Panel headed by retired Justice Ayo Salami to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against the suspended acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu