Nigerian leaders stole N37 trillion in 13 years – Senator

The Senator advised Nigerians to ostracise corrupt public officials from the society.Oladimeji Kayode

A Yoruba leader and former lawmaker has accused Nigerian leaders who held public office between 1999 and now of stealing  N36.7 trillion from the public purse.

Femi Okurounmu, who was in the Senate between 1999 and 2003, stated this in Abeokuta on Tuesday while delivering a paper at a town hall meeting organized by the National Patriotic Movement.

The Ogun State politician made reference to a United Nations estimate that $400 billion was stolen by Nigerian leaders between 1960 and 1999.

“In the subsequent 13 years period up to date, I have estimated about N36.7tr has further been stolen by our leaders’ Mr. Okurounmu said.

The former lawmaker distributed a self prepared tabular representation of stolen money. He also accused the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan of encouraging corruption in the country.

“The extent of government’s tolerance of corruption, or even the encouragement of it, is illustrated by the fact that out of the 54 incidents listed in the records just given to you, only in four cases were the culprits sentenced to token imprisonments in Nigeria; while two others who were found innocent in Nigeria, were only convicted in London,” he said.

Mr. Okurounmu advised that one way Nigerians could help in the fight against corruption was to ostracise the perpetrators of the act.

“We should shun their company, ostracise them in the community, ignore them in public places and refuse to accord them any recognition whatsoever in social gatherings,” he said.