Evangelist Victor Uwajeh, a renowned international investigator based in the United Kingdom and former Special Investigator to the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for Recovery of Public Asset (SPIPP), has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intensify the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
Uwajeh, who also served as a consultant to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), called on the Tinubu administration to prioritize the recovery of stolen funds by politically exposed individuals and government officials.
In a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday, Uwajeh outlined key areas for recovery, including the oil subsidy scam, non-remittance of crude oil liftings, crude oil swap agreements, offshore crude oil processing agreements, duty waiver fraud, and rice subsidy fraud.
The statement emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into federal government agencies to uncover instances of monumental fraud.
Evangelist Uwajeh further urged President Tinubu to demonstrate the political will to tackle corruption and impunity in Nigeria.
He stated, “The looting of public funds has become widespread in Nigeria, with perpetrators acting with impunity, knowing that they will escape punishment for their crimes.”
Uwajeh also stressed the importance of implementing the Presidential Executive Order No. 008 of 2018 (Amended 2019) on the Voluntary Offshore Assets Regularization Scheme (VOARS). He highlighted that its implementation would greatly assist the government and serve as a game-changer in curbing the acquisition of assets through illegitimate means by politically exposed individuals and their associates.
While commending President Tinubu for his selection of Security Chiefs, particularly National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Uwajeh praised Ribadu’s expertise and reliability.
Consequently, Uwajeh urged President Tinubu to prioritize capacity and excellence in appointing individuals to his administration, emphasizing the importance of avoiding mediocrity.
