Sanusi Lamido says ex-minister should be jailed [VIDEO]

monjola sotubo

December 7, 2015 11:57 AM

Diezani was detained in London on October 2, 2015, on allegations of money laundering but has since been released.

Former Petroleum Minister, Dieziani Alison-Madueke

The Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has said that jailing Nigeria’s former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke on corruption charges would send a strong message.

Diezani was detained in London on October 2, 2015, on allegations of money laundering but has since been released.

Sanusi made the comment during an interview with American news channel, PBS News hour which was published on the network’s YouTube channel on December 2, 2015.

“If she (Diezani) goes to court and is jailed for example, it sends a signal; I think that there is a day of reckoning,” the Emir said.

“In Nigeria, there is no accountability at all and that is why I think Nigeria’s corruption is worse than corruption in most parts of the world. It is the worst type of corruption, it’s stealing,” he added.

Sanusi also said that the country was losing about$1 billion a month during the tenure of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Frankly, I think a billion dollars under Jonathan a month was about what we were losing,” he said.

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai told the New York Times recently that looting of public funds under Jonathan’s administration took place ‘openly and with records.’

Corruption under Jonathan’s government has been a major subject of discussion in recent times after it was alleged that officials had misappropriated funds meant for Nigeria’s war against Boko Haram.

The discovery was made by a special panel constituted by current President, Muhammadu Buhari to investigate arms purchases in the country from 2007-2015.

At the fore of the investigations is former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki who is alleged to have supervised the laundering of about $2 billion in funds meant for the procurement of arms.

Dasuki was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) on December 1, 2015 and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) the day after.

READ: Buhari orders Dasuki's arrest

The former NSA is reported to have implicated several prominent persons in the deal including former governors, ex-ministers and members of Jonathan’s party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

READ: Dasuki has started confessing

Dasuki’s lawyer however denied the report that his client had become an informant.

READ: Bafarawa reportedly received N4.6 billion from Dasuki for spiritual purposes

Jonathan has also denied authorizing the release of the stated funds despite the former NSA’s claim that he got the necessary presidential approval for the transactions.

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Watch video of Sanusi speaking on PBS News Hour below:

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