African Countries Must Move To Recover Stolen Loot – Ribadu.

Former EFCC Chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has called on African countries to take measures to recover stolen loots stashed abroad by corrupt leaders.

Ribadu made the call at a plenary session of the ongoing 2nd Annual High Level Dialogue on Governance and Democracy in Africa holding in Dakar.

Speaking on the topic: ‘The Imperatives of Rule of Law for Improved Public Service Delivery in Africa’, the former EFCC boss said this was necessary to serve as deterrent to the leaders and those countries who accepted stolen wealth.

He said that African countries should learn from Nigeria, which had been the only country that had succeeded in recovering stolen wealth of past leaders.

He said that under his tenure Nigeria succeeded in recovering two billion dollars stashed in various countries by past corrupt leaders.

Ribadu said Nigeria was also able to build a global alliance to stop countries from accepting questionable deposits.

He said that the EFCC, under his tenure, was able to secure 300 convictions as well as recover five billion dollars from corrupt officials.

Ribadu said that there were enough laws to deter and punish corrupt leaders in many African countries, but the major problem was the non-implementation of such laws.

He urged the AU to assist member states to build up their capacities to use the laid down laws and regulations to tackle corruption.

Also contributing, Olawale Fapohunda, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Ekiti State, called for comprehensive reforms of laws to strengthen the rule of law in Africa.

He said the major problem facing leadership in Africa was the perception that “nothing good comes out of the government”.

He said this had often led to a situation whereby the good and upright people often shunned leadership position.

Fapohunda, therefore called on civil society organisations to show more interest in governance and ensure that people were enlightened to participate in governance.