The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) has called on the Muhammadu Buhari administration to be sincere and unbiased in its fight against corruption. NBA President, Mr Paul Usoro, made the call on Sunday in Abuja at an event to mark the International Anti-Corruption Day.
He said, “It is gratifying that President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR has consistently made it the credo of his government to fight corruption, right from its inauguration almost four years ago. That is commendable. “The fight must, however, not be selective or discriminatory in nature; it must not even be perceived to be selective or discriminatory.”
The NBA President further asked the government to ensure that trial of persons for corrupt practices was not tainted with corruption. According to him, media trial of persons charged with corrupt practices amount to corruption itself and it degrades and corrupt the justice administration system, besides the damage it does to persons who may ultimately be discharged and acquitted.
Usoro believes it is corrupt practice to hide under the cover of the fight against corruption to destroy people’s reputations when they have not been found guilty of corrupt practices by competent courts. He called for the speedy trial of persons for corrupt practices, stressing that it must not be used as an excuse for trampling upon the fundamental rights of such persons.
The NBA president listed some of the consequences of corruption to include uncompleted developmental projects in the country, even when the costs of such projects had been paid. He, therefore, advised the government to beam its searchlight on such corrupt practices as a proactive measure in the fight against financial and economic corruption.
Read the full speech by Mr Usoro below;
