ICPC retrieves N900b stolen constituency funds – TheNigerialawyer

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences
Commission (ICPC),has uncovered and retrieved over N900billion
diverted constituency project funds siphoned by federal lawmakers
in 12 states.

Its Commissioner in Kano, Mr Zayyanu Danmusa, revealed on Sunday
in Kano, while unveiling members of an anti-corruption group drawn
from the 44 Local Government Areas of the state,in collaboration
with Community for Peace and Corrupt Free Society,
Nigeria(CPCFS).

He explained that most of the lawmakers connived with
contractors and supervisory federal agencies to siphon funds
budgeted for constituency projects meant to enhance the development
of their respective communities.

According to him, the fight against corruption should not be
left alone for ICPC and EFCC.

The fight, he said, is a collective responsibility of Nigerians
to expose as well as provide useful information on the activities
corrupt practices.

Danmusa said the Commission is in collaboration with different
civil society organisations for sensitisation, monitoring and
prevention of the need of public to shun corruption.

A board member of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission
(ICPC) Hon. Dauda Yahaya Umar, who also chaired the Commission’s
Constituency projects tracking committee, called on Nigerians to
disown, shun and stop celebrating corrupt politicians and public
office holders.

Umar regretted that the activities of corrupt leaders have
continued to retrogress national development.

Umar noted that President Muhammadu Buhari alone cannot champion
the fight against corruption, “because you should expect Mr.
President to carry gun or knife to get at every corrupt
Nigerian.”

He maintained that members of the group,drawn from the Local
Government Areas of the state, would serve as volunteers of anti
corruption campaigns through monitoring implementation of
constituency projects in their respective communities.

“Our message is simple—Nigerians should shun corruption.
Nigerians should disown corrupt people and stop celebrating
them.

*By the time we boo corrupt leaders instead of hailing them, by
the time we make them be on their own, they will have a rethink and
begin to realise that what the havoc they are causing to our great
country have severe consequences.

“This is our country and we must do something to help Nigeria
get of this mess called corruption.

“I am not a politician but what we are facing as a people in
Nigeria is pitiable, because of the activities of corrupt
people.

“This is why we initiated this platform to join hands with
designated anti-corruption agencies such as ICPC to expose corrupt
politicians and public office holders.
“We are not stopping at that, we are taking the crusade against
corruption to the communities.”

He further stated that, “we are taking it to the door-steps of
Nigerians. I must also tell you that Nigerians are responding
positively because we have volunteers even at the grassroots who
have taken our message very seriously and they are ready to help
make Nigeria work again.”

Umar explained that, “what we are really doing in this programme
today is to re-jig the fight against corruption. Community leaders
and opinion leaders across the country are here with us. We are
raising a strong and formidable structure being led by 15
volunteers each from all 774 Local Government Areas in the
country.

“These 15 volunteers will also create a structure of 15
volunteers from each of the wards within their localities. You can
see how the crusade is germinating right into the households of
every patriotic Nigerian.”

National Coordinator of CPCFS, Alhaji Baba Abdulsalam, stated:
“In a nutshell, the entire exercise is all about trying to
re-activate our structures.

“We are re-activating and re-energising all the structures of
our executives from state, Local Government Areas to the
Wards.”