25 Sep 2007 |
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Declaration of a State of Emergency in the anti-corruption crusade in Nigeria has been advocated by a retired Supreme Court Justice, who is also the Chairman of the ICPC, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola, a world renowned jurist.
Critical in that advocacy, according to Ayoola is the need to suspend the rights of those who indulge in corruption so as to quicken the pace of justice and cleanse the country of corruption. Ayoola specifically advocated for the a 5-year period when the rights of such people who indulge in corruption would be suspended.
"If we agree to suspend rights in 5 years, I am sure the fight against corruption will be successful," Ayoola said adding that in that 5-year period if government infuses more resources, the level of corruption would be reduced.
Ayoola is concerned that corrupt people "go to courts, getting orders stopping investigations, if you do not investigate how do you know if someone is corrupt?" He added with a clear hint of regret, Nigeria's "criminal justice system has gone into shambles." He cited 40 on-going prosecutions of the ICPC, none of which has gone to trial because of procedural delays, "bringing comfort to the corrupt."
Justice Ayoola who observed that anyone who is not angry cannot be part of the anti-corruption war in Nigeria suggested that Nigeria should approach the anti-corruption fight as a war and so declare a state of emergency on corruption for 5-years. Said he: "I tell ICPC staff that if you are not angry with corruption you have no business in ICPC."
When asked him to clarify his comments on the idea of suspending people rights and to offer more details, Ayoola said the rights abrogation would only affect corrupt people. In addition he supported the idea of a creation of Special Tribunal to tackle corruption cases, expressing worry that corruption cases in the ordinary courts are taking too long. He said some corruption cases has been on since 2001
According to him the prevailing delay in the pursuit of justice against corrupt people "gives comfort to the corrupt." But he conceded that "a state of emergency is not a perfect state, but required to meet an emergency situation."
The former Supreme Court Justice wondered why the victims of corruption are fighting for the corrupt, insisting that the only way to fight corruption is to remove impunity. Yet he noted that it does happen in the process of fighting corruption that "there is a shield surrounding the corrupt." According to him "corrupt citizens have their own strategies, but we are up to the battle."
Expressing utter disdain with the negative impact of corruption on Nigeria, Ayoola who jokingly recalled how someone had referred to him as a "living museum" said "people like me grew up in Nigeria with little wealth and much integrity. In 1952, I sat for the HSC and I invigilated myself, and the time given was three hours. When it was three hours, I stopped."
Ayoola recalled the story to underpin the view that Nigerians are a people of integrity, stressing "lack of integrity is not part of us." I will be 74 in October, and I knew when our country was glorious, not as rich as today, but we were not corrupt, then people had integrity.
The ICPC Chairman also called for adequate funding of anti-corruption agencies and efforts. We need more determined support, "you do not fight a battle without committing resources to the battle."
In her own contribution, the World Bank Vice President Oby Ezekwesili said the battle against corruption in Nigeria should not be personalized, but be institutionalized. She said it ought not to be about Ribadu or ICPC Chairman, but the entire society, from private to public sectors and the civil society would have to work together to break the back of corruption.
Senator Victor Udo Udoma also agreed noting that the National Assembly recognised the need to institutionalize the corruption fight and every Nigerian is a stakeholder.
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