Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye and Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja

Anti-corruption stakeholders have declared that the fight against the menace will receive robust attention during the second term of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs Farida Waziri, and the Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel on the Recovery of Public Property, Okoi Obono-Obla, stated this in separate interviews during the swearing-in ceremony of President Muhammadu Buhari.

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Waziri said President Buhari performed well in his first term, adding that she was hopeful that the president would do better in his second term and take the country to the next level, especially in the areas of security and anti-corruption, including infrastructure.

“Some areas like infrastructure: roads and especially, railway (will be taken care of). I was once in Kaduna and was so happy. We were very pleased about that and we are looking forward to, as he promised, that he would hit the ground running. We are positive that he will do even much, much, much more,” Farida said.

On the fight against corruption, Waziri said the nation was making a mistake, thinking it was the responsibility of the anti-corruption bodies alone.

She added that it was the synergy between the anti-corruption agencies such as the EFCC, ICPC, NFIU, the courts, the police and members of the public that can rid the country of corruption.

“They are the witnesses in cases that go to court – the Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN); it is a total thing that we say look, enough is enough, we want our country to…, we don’t want this toga of corruption. So, it is a total war. One section can’t succeed at all,” Waziri added.

Also speaking, Obono-Obla said the recovery of public assets will definitely move to the next level.

“Well, it will go to the next level of assets recovery. Full blast! No sacred, go all out to recover what truly belongs to the people of Nigeria that have been taken away by past and present public office holders, not only public office holders, but business people. Whoever has taken what does not belong to him, but belongs to the people of Nigeria should willingly surrender that voluntarily. Otherwise, the full force of the law will be unleashed,” Obono-Obla said.

From the Civil Service, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Barrister Georgina Ehuriah, said the civil service will do everything possible to ensure that the president takes the country to the next level.

“The civil servants will work assiduously to implement all the policies and programmes that will be rolled out to move this nation to the next level,” Ehuriah said.

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