Emmanuel Umohinywng, Legal practitioner and President of Centre for Leadership and Justice, has urged the United States, United Kingdom and other nations of the world to send back all stolen funds stashed in their country and also to place a visa ban on Nigerian politicians, who steal public funds so as to serve as a restraint on them.
After the Edo governorship election on September 19, the US had placed a visa restriction on some politicians involved in the rigging of elections in the country. With this development, the UK also unveiled that political leaders in this same category have risked forfeiting their assets in Britain.
Umohinyang, commending this move, implored the Western leaders to go a step further by extending the ban on looters of public funds in Nigeria.
He emphasized that the stealing of public funds had deprived Nigerian citizens of quality life, essential infrastructures, and a good standard of living.
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Umohinyang in his statement said, ‘While we agree that our friends in the West are here to help us through our democracy, it is hypocritical for them to continue to create an impression that it is only by election rigging that things are done upside down in our country.’
‘When you place a visa ban on politicians who rig but how do you then justify keeping your backyard as a place for housing looted funds. They should also place a ban on those who steal our common patrimony and house them in the West.’
‘I expect the US Government, who is in custody of our several billions of dollars stolen by politicians to hold the victim. So you want to place a visa ban on election riggers but you are comfortable in keeping looted funds of the same politicians in your country.’
He proceeded by saying, ‘it is pious for them to keep thowing this at us when the real thing is with them. A visa ban should be planced on anyone that steals from Nigeria. They shouldn’t restrict it to election rigging, but should begin to inform the politicians that the period where they steal and go free is over.’
‘I believe this will send a strong message to those stealing our commonwealth. I think that’s the way to go.’