According to Vanguard, civil society organizations in Nigeria are calling for the prosecution of Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi State, over allegations of 80 billion naira in financial misappropriation.
Concerns regarding the government's dedication to combating corruption have been heightened by the delays in prosecuting Bello, despite the fact that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier brought charges against him in court.
At a joint news conference in Abuja on Monday, Okpanachi Jacob, national coordinator of the Coalition of Civil Society for Good Governance (CCSGG), and Peter Onuma, coordinator of the Kogi Conscience Liberation Movement (KCLM), stressed the need for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take swift action regarding the issue.
Okpanachi said that the government's sincerity in fighting corruption needs to be addressed because the public is skeptical.
"Nigerians and Kogi State citizens are growing restless over the delayed prosecution of former Governor Yahaya Bello for the alleged 80 billion naira fraud," said he.
"Corruption has severely impacted Kogi State's economy, leading to high poverty levels, reduced income for civil servants, and increased crime rates."
Members of civil society have praised the EFCC's work but have demanded more measures to combat the widespread "losing hope and doubting the fight against corruption."
They demanded that President Tinubu show his dedication to fighting corruption and restore faith in the government's "Renewed Hope Agenda" by solving the issue quickly.
The importance of the EFCC working together with other security agencies in the fight against corruption was stressed by Onuma.
Additionally, he voiced his disapproval of what he perceived as Bello's efforts to circumvent the legal system by transferring the case to the state.