PRESS RELEASE
EFCC, ICPC, SSS, have failed Nigeria, Says CAN President
Government anti- corruption agencies, security organisations as well as the nation’s religious and traditional institutions have failed in the fight against the cankerworm of corruption that is destroying the country and are therefore all contributing to the slow progress Nigeria is making towards development.
This assertion was made at the weekend in Lagos by the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria and Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Most Rev Peter Akinola during a thanksgiving service in honour of the retiring Justice of the Supreme Court – Hon. Justice A.O. Ejiwumi at the All Saints Church, Yaba, Lagos.
Akinola cited widely publicised cases like the missing 12 billion US Dollars from the gulf war oil windfall linked to former military dictator Ibrahim Babangida, the allegation by the FCT minister, Malam Nasir El Rufai that some members of the National Assembly demanded N50 million bribe to confirm his ministerial appointment. The money was allegedly said to have been paid by a top government functionary.
Reference was also made to the recent probe of deputy senate president Ibrahim Mantu on allegation of his looting the National Assembly treasury. All such cases have not led to any successful trial or conviction despite the well kept detailed dossiers on most Nigerian personalities by the State Security Service (SSS).
He wondered why celebrated cases involving prominent personalities in the country get swept under the carpet while such people later come around to flaunt their ill- gotten wealth using such to purchase political offices and to perpetuate injustice.
Renaming the Poverty Alleviation Programme as Poverty Elevation, he explained that those who were to alleviate poverty are busy sharing the money allocated to the programme amongst themselves and thereby impoverishing the downtrodden, widening and increasing the poverty gap and elevating the sufferings of the less privileged.
He said all such people are ‘selfishly rich’. The Archbishop called for repentance. However those who failed to repent can expect the curses outlined in Micah 6: 13 – 15 and Jeremiah 17:11
a) “Therefore I have begun to smite you, making you desolate because of your sins. You shall eat, but not be satisfied, and there shall be hunger in your inward parts; you shall put away, but not save, and what you save I will give to the sword. You shall sow, but not reap; you shall tread olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil; you shall tread grapes, but not drink wine.”
b) “As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right shall leave them in the midst of his days and at his end shall be a fool.”
Coming down hard on the failure of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) to have nailed many corrupt leaders. Archbishop Akinola said the anti-corruption agencies obviously have some sacred cows.
Prosecuting them is considered politically inexpedient. For us however, not making them face the rigours of the law is spiritually suicidal.
The Archbishop lamented that Nigerian traditional institutions are busy outdoing themselves in the sale of traditional chieftaincy titles to the highest bidders, the religious organisations are obsessed with the proclamation of prosperity and turning a blind eye to injustice. Wealth is glorified to the detriment of justice.
For Nigeria to be blessed, the CAN president referred to Amos 5: 24.
“But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”
Earlier, CAN President extolled Justice Ejiwumi as one of the very few incorruptible judges in the country, who has no price tag on his forehead and would even fearlessly give judgment against his employer, making himself unpopular but with a clear conscience. He prayed God to give the country a judiciary made up of such upright judges that cannot be bought. A judiciary which will not be an appendage of any ruling political party.
Signed,
The Rev. Canon Akintunde Popoola
Director, Communication
EFCC, ICPC, SSS, have failed Nigeria, Says CAN President
Government anti- corruption agencies, security organisations as well as the nation’s religious and traditional institutions have failed in the fight against the cankerworm of corruption that is destroying the country and are therefore all contributing to the slow progress Nigeria is making towards development.
This assertion was made at the weekend in Lagos by the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria and Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Most Rev Peter Akinola during a thanksgiving service in honour of the retiring Justice of the Supreme Court – Hon. Justice A.O. Ejiwumi at the All Saints Church, Yaba, Lagos.
Akinola cited widely publicised cases like the missing 12 billion US Dollars from the gulf war oil windfall linked to former military dictator Ibrahim Babangida, the allegation by the FCT minister, Malam Nasir El Rufai that some members of the National Assembly demanded N50 million bribe to confirm his ministerial appointment. The money was allegedly said to have been paid by a top government functionary.
Reference was also made to the recent probe of deputy senate president Ibrahim Mantu on allegation of his looting the National Assembly treasury. All such cases have not led to any successful trial or conviction despite the well kept detailed dossiers on most Nigerian personalities by the State Security Service (SSS).
He wondered why celebrated cases involving prominent personalities in the country get swept under the carpet while such people later come around to flaunt their ill- gotten wealth using such to purchase political offices and to perpetuate injustice.
Renaming the Poverty Alleviation Programme as Poverty Elevation, he explained that those who were to alleviate poverty are busy sharing the money allocated to the programme amongst themselves and thereby impoverishing the downtrodden, widening and increasing the poverty gap and elevating the sufferings of the less privileged.
He said all such people are ‘selfishly rich’. The Archbishop called for repentance. However those who failed to repent can expect the curses outlined in Micah 6: 13 – 15 and Jeremiah 17:11
a) “Therefore I have begun to smite you, making you desolate because of your sins. You shall eat, but not be satisfied, and there shall be hunger in your inward parts; you shall put away, but not save, and what you save I will give to the sword. You shall sow, but not reap; you shall tread olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil; you shall tread grapes, but not drink wine.”
b) “As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right shall leave them in the midst of his days and at his end shall be a fool.”
Coming down hard on the failure of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) to have nailed many corrupt leaders. Archbishop Akinola said the anti-corruption agencies obviously have some sacred cows.
Prosecuting them is considered politically inexpedient. For us however, not making them face the rigours of the law is spiritually suicidal.
The Archbishop lamented that Nigerian traditional institutions are busy outdoing themselves in the sale of traditional chieftaincy titles to the highest bidders, the religious organisations are obsessed with the proclamation of prosperity and turning a blind eye to injustice. Wealth is glorified to the detriment of justice.
For Nigeria to be blessed, the CAN president referred to Amos 5: 24.
“But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”
Earlier, CAN President extolled Justice Ejiwumi as one of the very few incorruptible judges in the country, who has no price tag on his forehead and would even fearlessly give judgment against his employer, making himself unpopular but with a clear conscience. He prayed God to give the country a judiciary made up of such upright judges that cannot be bought. A judiciary which will not be an appendage of any ruling political party.
Signed,
The Rev. Canon Akintunde Popoola
Director, Communication
