CORRUPTION: How we’ll deal with the Jonathan issue –Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that the anti-corruption agencies in the country have been adequately empowered to do their jobs effectively.

According to him, the government will not interfere in the activities of the agencies, neither would it teleguide them, in dealings with any Nigerian found wanting, including former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Prof. Osinbajo tated this in Houston, Texas in the US on Friday at a Townhall event where he interacted with US-based Nigerians who asked questions live at the event and also via the Internet, according to a statement issued by his spokesperson Mr. Laolu Akande.

Answering question from the internet on when former President Goodluck Jonathan would be arrested, Osinbajo stated that the Buhari administration is not in the business of arresting just anyone anyhow. He said all the Buhari administration does is to empower the security agencies and the anti-corruption agencies to do their jobs, without the administration trying to teleguide them.

He frowned at a situation where for instance as much as $15 billion has disappeared from the national coffers into private pockets, pointing out that no responsible government would wave that aside so as not to offend people.

He also added that the fight against corruption in the country is not fought on ethnic, hasty or pre-mediated grounds.

According to him, “ corruption is not an ethnic thing, there is an equal representation in the stealing as no one operates with his/her ethnic group alone, the culprits are in every case seen so far, united by greed to steal and not by ethnic or religious interest.”

Speaking on herdsmen’s killings in several parts of the country, he revealed that security agencies have arrested about 800 suspected violent herdsmen across the country.

The Vice President said “the President has given firm instructions to the security agencies to arrest not only herdsmen who are attacking communities anywhere in the country but anyone of them or anyone at all in possession of firearms.”

The Vice President however decried the slow pace of the criminal justice system which is affecting the prompt trial of such suspects.

Prof. Osinbajo reminded the audience however that the issue of killings by such violent herdsmen has been a perennial issue especially as grazing lands continue to disappear over the years and the cattle feed on people’s crops on the farmlands. He clarified that the matter just did not crop up when President Buhari assumed office.

Vice President Osinbajo then urged against the tendency of interpreting the herdsmen issue as a religious issue, stressing that it is important for all Nigerians to refuse such divisive narratives and tendencies.

He reminded his audience that there has always been conflict between herdsmen and communities across the country and that people should disabuse the notion that the problem has just started because President Buhari, a Fulani is currently at the helm of affairs in the country.

Answering question on the need for community policing, the Vice President indicated that community policing via State Police is indeed a cardinal program of the ruling APC. However the party agenda cannot be introduced until there is an amendment to the nation’s constitution.

Nigerians from all walks of life in Houston, Texas and from other parts of the US reportedly attended the town hall meeting which was preceded by a Nigeria Infrastructure summit which showcased opportunities for foreign investors in Nigeria.

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