Abuja — Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) yesterday called on the Federal Government to commit substantial funds to building more prison across the country where convicted corrupt persons especially ex government officials would be jailed.

This is even as it joined the Senate to call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to show more commitment towards securing more convictions against individuals who looted public treasury while in office rather than engage in what it called drama while arresting suspects.

President of NBA, Joseph Daudu who spoke in his goodwill message to the eighth years of establishment the EFCC and three years in office of the chairman of the commission, Mrs. Farida waziri in Abuja maintained that Nigerians need to see more conviction of persons suspected to have stolen public fund or misappropriated same.

Daudu was of the opinion that the drama which follows the mere arrest or invitation of such persons dwarfs the eventual outcome of such case. He said the citizenry is keener to seeing perpetrators of economic crimes jailed than watch EFCC act some drama with suspects on the television and everything ends there.

He also threw his weight behind the call to review the Criminal Justice system in the country, pointing out that it will help speed up the fight against corruption. The NBA President declared that corruption has held the country's developmental quest down for years.

He said "the essence of all arrest and investigation for crime is conviction, we need to see more of convictions, but we cannot achieve this without reviewing in full scale the criminal justice system, there is quite a lot to be done fundamentally, the criminal justice system has gross defect.

"I will cite an example; we still refer to prisons as prisons here in Nigeria but worldwide it is known as correctional institutions. Our prisons have decayed and therefore government needs to invest wholesale to places where you keep people who are reckless with fund of this country and therefore there is a need to build new correctional centres everywhere in this country so they may have places to keep all those who are stealing the country's money at any point in time".

On the support needed by the EFCC to ensure the fight against corruption becomes a huge success, the NBA boss who condemned what he termed the recklessness in spending public funds by public officials advocated strengthening of the commission's capacity by empowering the commission to establishes more stations across the country.

He said "So I will like to urge the EFCC just like the chairman said we should attain a structure like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and I think for the impact of the work to be adequately felt we must have the station replicated in all the state. I think for now we have just six stations across the country, and I think most places are in dire need of the anti-corruption office and i urge those in charge of funding the EFCC to enhance the funding so that its productivity and result will increase," he added.

Toeing the same line, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba in his own goodwill message urged the EFCC not to play to the gallery in its fight against corruption because most time, the drama that trails arrest of suspects are more than the prosecution and eventual conviction.

Senator Egba said "I think every accused is still presumed innocent until found guilty, we will like to see more of the drama and celebration when somebody is convicted than when arrested".

Udoma-Egba stated the readiness of the National Assembly to support the anti-graft body in the fight against corruption in the country, pointing out that there is no excuse for anybody not to join in the fight especially with the signing into law the freedom of Information (FOI) Bill.

He said, "With the Freedom of Information, we have reasons to partner with the EFCC in the fight against corruption, and for the EFCC I urge you to continue to do more of the good fight even though you are working in extremely tight and difficult environment, in a culture where corruption is celebrated, where corrupt men are honoured by traditional rulers and even elevated in churches is a very difficult for you but keep on the good fight.

"I think every accused is still presumed innocent until found guilty, we will like to see more of the dram and celebration of when somebody is convicted than when arrested but let me assure you that you have a willing partner in the Senate to strengthen the fight against corruption we will partner with you by making sure that every bill or any amendment on the fight against corruption would be passed".

For the chairman of the EFCC, the scourge of corruption in the country and mindless way public funds are embezzled with reckless abandon is the root of the decision by young Nigerians to engage in violent crimes including bomb attacks and other acts of terrorism.

Farida Waziri who noted that the fight against corruption has been tough was quick to note that within her three years in office as the boss of the Commission, the fight to clean up the banking sector remains the most challenging for her.

The EFCC boss came short of calling for a complete revolution in the country, saying, "Nigerians should come out like what happened in Egypt; there should be some form of revolution to retrieve this country from the grasp of corruption."

She stressed , "I believe these bomb blasts, kidnappings and killings we see around us are as a result of corruption in the country. The gap between the rich and the poor is getting wider and people are angry and disillusioned.

"The people involved in these acts feel short-changed by the people in leadership and they are frustrated by the system; they see so much injustice in the midst of plenty."

"The various cases of militancy and terrorism that we currently experience across the country are as a result of corruption. People who perpetrate these violent acts tend to draw their motivation from the unimaginable corruption they see going on around them."

"We are talking about the dilapidated aviation sector and epileptic power supply in the country, but nothing can be done about these as long there is massive corruption. These poor services abound as a direct consequence of corruption in public and private offices.

"Billions of naira that are amassed by people in positions of authority could have gone into the development of needed infrastructure for the growth and development of this country.

"The corrupt people in our society take billions of naira that should have been used to develop infrastructure and create jobs, and they take them abroad to other countries to contribute to those already developed societies whereas our youths and elderly languish in penury and want."

Lamenting that acts of corruption such as Advanced Fee Fraud and cyber crime have cost the country a lot of goodwill in the international business arena, leading to investors shying away from the country, she pointed out that "Today, when you travel outside the country, you are looked upon as a crook, and we know that is not the case; we have a lot of hardworking, honest and reputable people doing business in our country and we aim by this publication to direct genuine business people to the right places they should if they want to do business in Nigeria or with Nigerians.

"People who are interested in doing business in the country can also contact us and we can do due diligence on the companies they are interested in and properly advise them.

"We need support and cooperation of all Nigerians in order to wrestle this country out of the clutches of endemic corruption".

http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/201106150694.html

rather build more gallows.