Pix: From left: Chief Justice of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Justice
Ishaq Bello, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,
Founder of the Human Rights Radio, Ahmad Isah and the representative of the
FCT Minister, Abubakar Sani while commissioning the Human Rights Radio in Abuja on Monday.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the
Federal Government will intensify the war against corruption to ensure that
all those who abused the collective human rights of Nigerians through
mindless looting of the treasury are brought to book.
The Minister stated this in Abuja on Monday at the commissioning of the
Human Rights Radio.
“I want to say this without any equivocation that the protection of human
rights is the first responsibility of any government and this government in
particular has done more than anybody to protect the collective human
rights of Nigerians.
“I am going to prove this. The greatest assault to our collective human
rights are those people who have stolen our money; those people who have
pocketed money meant for roads, power, water, Medicare. Those are the
people who have assaulted our collective human rights; those are the people
who have reduced Nigerians to nothingness. Those are the people who have
humiliated this country and this is why this government’s anti-corruption
war must be supported by all and sundry,” he said.
Alhaji Mohammed said the current economic hardship has its root in the
reckless looting of the treasury by public officials, and that the Buhari’s
government is doing everything possible to fix the economy and make
Nigerians happy.
“No economy in the world can survive this mindless looting. If everyone of
us that has access to power should steal $10 million, how can the Naira
ever be strong. If we steal over $136 million, how can our roads be in
good order or how can we have power,” he queried.
The Minister, however, expressed delight that the introduction of the
Whistle-blower Policy by this Administration is helping to expose corrupt
officials and the recovery of billions of naira in stolen funds.
“Within two months of our declaration of a policy of whistle blowers, we
have been able to recover $160 million and N8 billion and what is this
policy? It’s a policy that will encourage Nigerians who have any
information of violation of our rights, commission of a crime, fraud or
corruption or any Nigerian who knows where certain money is being held or
being kept to anonymously contact us. We will protect his identity and if
that information leads really to the recovery of money, he will be entitled
to between 2% and 5% of the money recovered,” he said.
The Minister said his ministry will partner with the Human Rights Radio to
popularise the Whistle-blower Policy.
In his remarks, the founder of the Human Rights Radio, Ahmed Isah, who
described the Minister as his mentor, said the radio station will support
humanity, irrespective of religious or ethnic inclinations.
He described the radio station as the first to be solely dedicated to human
rights in the country and promised to use the platform to project the image
of Nigeria.