The governor of Ebonyi state, Engr. David Umahi on Monday disclosed that many looted funds in Nigeria were trapped in foreign banks, some buried at various cemeteries, and others buried underground.
He made this known while declaring open anti-corruption, ethics and integrity training for Ebonyi State local government officials, held in Abakaliki on Monday.
The governor also advocated amnesty for alleged looters, saying such approach would help in arresting corruption and commit offenders in surrendering over 70 per cent of looted public funds.
He promised that in the course of fighting corruption, Ebonyi State government would establish ICPC office in the state.
“We have so much of the looted funds trapped in foreign banks, some buried at the cemetery while many were buried underground where they were destroyed by termites.
“But if there is negotiation like committing the looters into subtly surrendering at least 70 per cent of the looted funds and keeping the rest or investing all the funds in the country; by so doing, we would have recovered the money and made use of it”, he said.
Earlier in her address, representative of the Acting Chairman of ICPC, Mrs Rose Okoduwa, said the training was to bring the anti-corruption crusade closer to the grassroots using local government officials as vehicles of social re-engineering.
- Source: Daily Trust report