The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has revealed that past administrations in Nigeria from 1999 to 2022 embezzled public funds amounting to $825 billion (N1.7 trillion). HEDA is calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate and recover the stolen money.
During a protest to the EFCC and ICPC, the Legal Officer of HEDA Resource Centre, David Ogungbesan, stated that the research compilation titled “Impunity Galore: A Chronicle of Some High profile Unresolved Corruption Cases in Nigeria” contains numerous cases of corruption and probes that have not been addressed by the authorities. He emphasized that most of these cases involve large sums of money and need to be thoroughly investigated to bring those involved to justice.
The demonstration aims to bring attention to unresolved corruption cases that are hindering Nigeria’s progress and prosperity. HEDA emphasizes that if the stolen funds were utilized properly, Nigeria could have advanced into a developed country with improved infrastructure and social amenities, leading to a better standard of living for its citizens.
Given the current economic challenges in Nigeria, including rising fuel and food prices and insecurity, HEDA believes that resolving these corruption cases can help retrieve significant amounts of money for the country and alleviate the hardship faced by the citizens. They call on all law enforcement agencies, especially the EFCC and ICPC, to fulfill their responsibilities and investigate all corruption cases to ensure a more prosperous and corruption-free nation.
