Season Of Scandals

A MUNICH State court, Germany on October 14 linked four former Nigerian telecommunication ministers, a serving senator and several civil servants to an $8.6 million bribery scandal that spanned three countries.

The court convicted Siemens, German telecommunication company of giving bribes totaling about $7.1 million to Nigeria officials in anticipation of lucrative contracts. The rest of the money was spent as bribes in Libya and Russia for other contracts.

All the Nigerians mentioned in the elaborate court rulings that included amounts given, the names of the givers and in some cases dates, have denied any involvement in the deals. We hope they will be heading to court to untangle themselves from this evolving scandal. Investigations are continuing abroad.

The country’s image has been dented in recent times by other scandals. Wilbros, an American firm’s allegation of giving $6 million as bribes to government officials is pending in court. Wilbros officials are insisting that they gave Nigerian officials bribes to win oil contracts.

Another case involved Chief Dan Etete, former Minister for Petroleum in General Sani Abacha’s administration who was convicted and sentenced in absentia by a French court over money laundering offences. The court also ordered him to pay 150,000 euros to the government of Nigeria for his poor conduct.

Corruption is a serious problem for developing countries. Nigeria has been exceptional in poor handling of corruption cases. The United Nations investigators say that between 1960-1999, the nation lost $400 billion to corrupt practices by public officers. This amount does not include loot laundered though other sources.

For Nigeria to make progress, cases of corruption have to be prosecuted diligently. There is also a need to review anti-corruption laws, there are enough loopholes to allow suspects to escape with their loot. Sanctions on financial institutions that help the officials in laundering money should be more stringent, including possible loss of their licences. The role of these financial institutions in the transfer of money and concealing loot remain understated.

The latest scandals took place outside the tenure of this administration, but they offer another opportunity for the government to enforce its avowed zero-tolerance policy for corruption. It is an opportunity it should not miss.

President Umaru Yar’Adua has promised a thorough investigation that would establish the involvement of those mentioned. After the investigations, those involved would be charged to court. “In this Siemens scandal, as in all cases that border on good governance and transparency, there will neither be sacred cows nor a cover up for anybody found culpable of breaching the law,” the President said.

Nigerians need to see strict enforcement of these law, no matter who the offender is. Most corruption charges against public officers were not conclusively decided. The impression is then created that the law is meant for certain category of people. We hope the investigation of these matters will make the point that government’s anti-corruption war is well and alive in words – and indeed.