The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) says the lack of punishment for corruption, terrorism and other forms of crime undermines public confidence.
Oliver Stolpe, UNODC Country Representative in Nigeria, spoke on Friday at the launch of the UN agency’s ‘Strategic Vision for Nigeria 2030’ in Abuja.
In his remarks, Stolpe said that “corruption and illicit financial flows enable crime and terrorism,” adding that “impunity perpetuates these challenges and undermines public trust.”
The UNODC said it will support Nigeria in implementing its laws on drug control, transnational organized crime, corruption and terrorism.
Referring to the agency’s launch of the ‘Strategic Vision for Africa 2030’ last year, Stolpe said the project aims to put Africans and their needs at the center of UNODC’s responses to drugs and crime. In the continent.
He lamented that “the prevalence of drug use in Nigeria stands at almost 15 percent, almost three times higher than the world average.”
Stolpe added that Nigeria faces serious multidimensional challenges to security and the rule of law, a point that reinforces the lethargy of the federal government in prosecuting the Bureau De Change operators it arrested last year for suspected links to financing Boko Haram.
The Federation’s Attorney General, Abubakar Malami, had repeatedly promised to prosecute suspects whom the government labeled “terrorist financiers” but failed to do so.
In a goodwill message, Bolaji Owasanoye, president of the Independent Commission on Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes (ICPC), while acknowledging the problems of organized crime, noted that “corruption and illicit financial flows threaten the ability of Africa and Nigeria to achieve the SDGs due to the illicit and sometimes criminal redirection of resources to foreign jurisdictions, which undermines domestic resource mobilization.”
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Mr. Owasanoye, Professor of Law and Senior Advocate for Nigeria (SAN), further explained that the mission of UNODC’s Strategic Vision for Africa 2030 is to “make Africa’s people, government and institutions more secure against drugs, crime, corruption, terrorism. and illicit financial flows”, is in line with ICPC’s mandate.
AGF promises commitment
In response, the Federation Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, who was represented by the ministry’s Acting Permanent Secretary, Benjamin Okolo, said that the federal government was fully committed to the 2030 Vision for Nigeria in achieving sustainable development. . objectives, while welcoming the 5 thematic Priority Areas of the Strategic Vision.
Similarly, the chairs of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Buba Marwa and Abdulrasheed Bawa, respectively, explained in their separate goodwill messages that corruption and illicit financial flows threaten the ability of Africa and Nigeria to achieve Sustainable Development. Development of goals.
They pledged their support in achieving the stated goals.
The 2030 Strategic Vision, which has 5 main priority areas, includes: upholding the rule of law, ensuring access to justice, and protecting victims of crime.
The project also talks about safeguarding people, institutions and economies from corruption, illicit financial flows and money laundering.