US envoy says there are worse forms of corruption in Nigeria than stealing

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, William Stuart Symington, has revealed greater forms of corruption than the stealing of public funds.

He described as worse forms of corruption disregard for justice and rule of law. The two according to him, are “more damning a corruption than stealing of public funds.”

This is coming at a time President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has continued to pride itself of fighting corruption by going after those who stole public funds.

And when many Nigerians keep arguing that the fight is only targeted at the opposition and perceived enemies. Some have even accused the Buhari government of committing worse corrupt act by his alleged disregarding for the rule of law and lopsided appointments, which they claim favour one section of the country.

But the US envoy, who spoke on Monday at the convocation lecture of the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, notes that there is no worse form of corruption like disregards for the rule of law and injustice, a crime the current Nigerian government has constantly been accused of committing.

Symington, delivering a lecture on “Citizen leadership and the link between economic diversity and democratic good governance,” said, “What many consider as the great corruption is stealing of money but what to me is the great corruption is when people are deprived of justice, when you do things without regard for the rule of law.”

On Nigeria’s security crisis, Symington argued it was the responsibility of both the government and citizens to secure the country.

“One of the most important things that I want you to leave today with is the idea that good governance can only come from strong and independent citizens.

“So, I think the right answer is there is no person who can make Nigeria more secure.

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“There was that time in Nigeria when security was not the job of only the soldier and the police, but every village chief and every person who lived in the town was involved.

“There is no police force in the whole world that keep the neighbourhood safe all by itself. If you have such a police force, I would not want to live in that neighbourhood . Every security in the world derives from the support of the people in the place that is insecure.”

 

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