The Coalition Against Corrupt leaders (CACOL)  has expressed support for  the Presidential committee investigating arms procurement between 2007 and 2015 which has started a fresh investigation into the purchases of equipment by the Army during the period and the directive by the Chief of Army Staff that all Army Personnel in Public Office should declare their assets within the next 14 days.

Chairman of the CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, described the recent steps in combating corruption in the Army as bold and encouraging, because they are indicative that there would be no sacred cows in the war against corruption unlike the hitherto existing situation. He added that, “the anti-corruption drive cannot be effective if business is allowed to continue as usual. All corrupt persons whether Civilian, Military, Police, EFCC, ICPC, Customs etc. must be treated as what they are, criminals, without caring whose ox is gored.’’

 
CACOL holds the view that, as a matter of fact, corruption in the Army and other security agencies is supposed to be dealt with more severely considering the training along the line of discipline and integrity received and supposedly imbibed by these personnel. “A wicked, most inhuman and most incomprehensible example, is the diversion of funds meant for arms procurement for the war against insurgency and to protect National sovereignty which led to the avoidable loss of lives of soldiers; civilians in their thousands; and property worth billions of naira, this is treasonable and unacceptable.’’ the Chairman of CACOL said.

“The era of Army Personnel or any Nigerian in Public offices acting with impunity and enjoying immunity alongside must be ended. A criminal, is a criminal, we demand that anyone found culpable in corrupt practices must be brought to book regardless of their status. We must continue along the path of naming them, shunning them, shaming them and jailing to serve as deterrent to other corrupt persons or potentially corrupt persons. Anything less will not suffice and could jeopardise the war against corruption.’’ the group asserted.

Posted by:

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR