Graft: China partners Nigeria, 76 countries on fugitives’ extradition

The People’s Republic of China has signed an extradition treaty
with Nigeria and 76 other countries to enhance international
cooperation against corruption and for the extradition of fugitives
abroad.

The Asian giant has also vowed to improve the business
environment and build “a road of clean governance” with countries
along the Belt and Road Initiative of which Nigeria is a
member.

This was part of the highlight of the 2019 edition of the Forum
of China-Africa Cooperation Summit which ended in Beijing on
Saturday.

A statement from the Embassy of China in Nigeria said the
economic powerhouse had launched the ‘Sky Net 2019’ in January, to
target fugitives suspected of involvement in graft and prevent
corrupt officials from fleeing abroad.

The Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party of China Congress
Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, Li Shulei, disclosed
that his country had signed 120 agreements with 77 countries to
snare fugitives abroad, including 55 extradition treaties and 64
mutual legal assistance treaties.

The senior Communist party official stated, “China has signed
120 agreements with 77 countries to snare fugitives abroad and
confiscate ill-gotten gains, 55 extradition treaties and 64 mutual
legal assistance treaties, and concluded multiple international
conventions including the United Nations Convention against
Corruption, to build a road of clean government.”

Speaking in the same vein, the Deputy Director, China against
Corruption Law Association, Deng Lianfan, said establishing an
international anti-corruption mechanism would effectively curb
potential corrupt elements and ensure that funds and resources
“will be implemented in reality, which will also help China build a
positive image among foreign countries.”

A professor from the anti-corruption research centre, Tsinghua
University, Chen Wenhao, was quoted as saying that a worldwide
crackdown on corruption was necessary to bring corrupt individuals
to justice.

He said, “A worldwide crackdown on corruption is absolutely
necessary, but some people are able to evade being brought to
justice due to different national legal systems. Countries need to
cooperate in case investigations and information sharing.”

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