By Abubakar Yunusa
The Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED) has urged the Federal government to declare a State of Emergency in Kogi state due to the alleged theft of 84 billion naira by the former Governor of the state, Yahaya Bello.
In a statement signed by the Executive Director of CHRICED, Dr. Ibrahim Zikirullahi, he said:
“It is reported that Yahaya Bello, who is currently a fugitive on the EFCC’s wanted list, is being harbored at the Kogi State Government House in Lokoja by Governor Ododo.
While we appreciate the efforts made so far by the EFCC in pursuing the case against Yahaya Bello, CHRICED unequivocally condemns Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s interference in thwarting Bello’s arrest, which goes against his sworn oath of office.
We also denounce the Kogi State Assembly for hastily passing a resolution urging the EFCC to remove Yahaya Bello from its wanted list.
These actions highlight the entrenched corruption and impunity in Kogi State, a state grappling with severe challenges such as unpaid pensions, delayed salaries for workers, and lack of infrastructural development.
Regrettably, corruption has emerged as a severe epidemic that Nigerians have been grappling with in recent times. The plague of corruption has continued to ravage the lives of citizens.
It is one of the major tragedies of our country that the All Progressives Congress (APC), which came into office in 2015 on the pretext that it was ready to fight corruption, has sunk neck-deep into the same corruption it claimed it was ready to fight.
Consequently, the APC administration has lost its way, leaving the national and state treasuries at the mercy of the very mindless and unscrupulous looters that the Nigerian citizens had hoped to see removed from all levels of governance.
As a matter of fact, in the struggle between anti-corruption forces and apologists of corruption, it is evident that corruption is winning. The term “anti-corruption fight” has become nothing more than a mere facade.
The loss of political will and the serious collapse of the moral ground on which the APC administration would have fought corruption to a decisive end are seen from the party’s act of condoning clearly corrupt characters within its own fold.
Corruption, in all its forms, undermines public trust and the social contract. If unchecked, corruption alienates citizens from the governance process.
Therefore, CHRICED urges Nigerians to take a greater interest in governance by demanding accountability in the use of public funds for projects administered by local, state, and federal governments.
It is crucial for citizens to get involved, as the constitutional mandate, which directs the State to abolish all forms of corrupt practices, will remain a pipedream if citizens do not get involved.
CHRICED calls on President Tinubu to take decisive action against corruption and leave a legacy. We urge the President to issue an ultimatum to Governor Ododo, demanding the surrender of Yahaya Bello to the EFCC.
Failure to comply should result in the declaration of a state of emergency in Kogi State. History has shown that punishment, in order to serve as a deterrent, must be severe.
It is better to be strict with one individual and save the lives and well-being of many, rather than being lenient with all and causing harm to a larger population. Just like a skilled surgeon who does not hesitate to amputate a diseased limb to save the entire body, President Tinubu must be resolute in the fight against corruption.
We can draw lessons from countries like Arabia and China, where the implementation of strict punishments, such as cutting off hands and death for theft, has significantly reduced incidents of stealing. These countries demonstrate that a zero-tolerance approach towards stealing can effectively deter such crimes,” Zikirullahi said.
