Ribadu: Why All Forms of Security Votes, Subsidies Should be Scrapped

Dele Ogbodo in Abuja

The former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, on Monday called on government at the federal level to scrap all forms of security votes usually allocated to governors.

He said such money ends up in private pockets, adding that that is the worst form of corruption in the country.

He said subsidies in whatever guise they are given breed corruption, adding that all these must be removed from the system at whatever level they are being deployed as those managing them and their cronies steal such funds.

“We have seen this happen in the oil industry,” he said, stressing that there is no reason why anybody should be given public money as subsidy to go to Saudi Arabia or Jerusalem.

The pioneer EFCC boss who made a presentation at the ongoing 2016 Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) meeting in Abuja, said the biggest form of criminality in the country is the allocation of security to governors.

According to him, corruption can be reduced to its barest minimum, adding: “This is do-able; let all of us stand and say all public spending must go through budgetary process and must follow transparency. It should be open and transparent and let us not allow whatever is called padding.

“Why should security vote be kept secret by governors? If you are spending to entrench peace. Then there should be no secrecy about it.”

“Nigerians must take a stand to say that all public monies must be properly budgeted and this should be open and transparent, we should not allow.”