"Tinubu should investigate Buhari government's amnesty program"

The Chairman of the Board of the Center for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade (CHURAC), Alaowei Cleric Ebikonbowei, explained to OBIRE ONAKEMU the reasons why President Bola Tinubu should investigate the federal government's amnesty program and not interfere in the activities of anti-corruption agencies.

What is your take on the wave of insecurity in Nigeria over the achievement of former President Muhammadu Buhari? Buhari's performance in the security sector, like other sectors, has been extremely weak. The wave of insecurity plaguing the nation is the result of Buhari's irremediable ineptitude. In fact, there has been a total absence of governance for the past eight years under Buhari. The former president promised to lead the fight when he was campaigning for the 2014 elections. He couldn't even lead when he took office. He also boasted that as a retired army general, he would defeat the Boko Haram sect within six months of taking office. It all became a talk show as the terrorists grew stronger than ever. Nigeria had its worst moment under Buhari's government. He was a nightmare for the country.

How do you rate the efforts of the armed forces in the fight against terrorism, banditry, kidnappings, oil theft and other security issues? In the fight against terrorism, banditry and kidnapping, the armed forces try, even if they are confronted with corrupt practices. Corruption is an area that has weakened the morale of the armed forces. Some compromised members of the armed forces have used the insecurity as a gamble to enrich themselves. The same also applies to some politicians in the corridors of power. These are some of the reasons why the former NSA complained to Buhari that some senior military personnel and their political partners were sabotaging the government's fight against insecurity.

As for stealing crude oil, I won't give the military a pass! I come from the creeks of the Niger Delta region. The one person who has sacrificed everything to fight crude oil theft is Prime Minister Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo. Without the intervention of Tantita Security Services, led by Tompolo, who raked the creeks to ward off illegal bunkering activity, oil thieves would have taken over everywhere. Thank goodness the nation has overtaken Angola as the top crude oil producer. Former President Buhari was right to award the pipeline monitoring contract to the Tompolo firm. It was the saving grace of the country's oil sector.

Before Buhari left office, he deposited 1.5 billion naira in the bank account of a cooperative scheme launched for former agitators in the Niger Delta. What is your opinion on the management of the fund? Those appointed to manage the Presidential Amnesty Program (PAP) mismanaged it. They have turned it into a conduit to amass undeserved wealth. During Buhari's tenure, the PAP barely functioned as an interventionist agency even though it received budgetary provisions. The program is like a way for some people to eat fat. The program managers are derailing it. Even ex-agitators do the worst. I don't want to comment on what Buhari might have budgeted for the program. We know very well that this money will fall into private hands. I want President Bola Tinubu to conduct a forensic audit to audit the program.

What should Nigerians expect from President Tinubu? Nigerians should be patient with him. The president must understand the particularity of the people. He must know that there was a total absence of governance during the mandate of his predecessor. It has the heavy task of stabilizing the economy. Inflation has bitten so hard. The removal of subsidies on the downstream sector of the economy has accentuated inflationary growth. We have heard that oil traders are planning to raise pump prices from PMS to 700 naira. Mr. President should take urgent preventive measures to stop the situation.

Nigerians also expect the president to fight corruption, regardless of who is gored. It seems that agents of the anti-corruption agency are now catching cold because they are reluctant to probe politically exposed people, especially people who served under Buhari or who are close to the president. Buhari's government should be probed and President Tinubu should not spare some officers who have wronged Nigerians. In fact, Mr. President should isolate himself from the operations of the anti-corruption agency. It should allow the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to do its job without interference.

What more should Tinubu do differently to address insecurity in Nigeria? I think he took a s...