Okogie urges President to invite corrupt Nigerians for private talks

Former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Cardinal Anthony Okogie, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to hold private talks with Nigerians found guilty of looting instead of taking them to court.

Okogie said further that publicly persecuting looters would be a waste of time and resources.

The former CAN President made the comments during a recent interview with Punch.

Okogie said:

“I agree with the National Peace Committee that the President should tread softly and should set criteria that he is going to use. Corruption is endemic in Nigeria. That is why they are asking for caution: ‘Look at it properly’.”

“People like that, when they go to court, they don’t look right and left before they do things. If I have a man like that and I know he has the money, I will weigh the options; ‘will it profit the nation if I take this man to court. If I take him to court, he is going to get a lawyer. The lawyer will be employed with part of the money I am looking for.”

“The lawyer will now start to ask for adjournments and all what not. I may not get this money until after four years. And the judge too, in the meantime, is getting (part of the loot); you will not know. He won’t just adjourn anyhow.”

“The lawyer will invite his brother (the judge) to come and get part of the cake until half of it will be gone. We have to look at the issue from that angle. And you may end up getting nothing.”

Buhari had earlier said that special courts would be set up to probe persons found guilty of looting the nation’s treasury.