The Barrack Obama-led United States
administration has lambasted the Federal Government of Nigeria led
by President Goodluck Jonathan over massive and widespread corruption in
the country.
According to the United States Department of State, government officials and agencies frequently engage in corrupt practices with impunity, while ordinary Nigerians are ignored to their fate.
According to the United States Department of State, government officials and agencies frequently engage in corrupt practices with impunity, while ordinary Nigerians are ignored to their fate.
This revelations were contained in the Bureau of Democracy
Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012, which was released on
Friday evening in the US.
In the report, the judiciary was also scored very low. It said:
In the report, the judiciary was also scored very low. It said:
“The
law provides criminal penalties for official corruption; however, the
government did not implement the law effectively, and officials
frequently engaged in corrupt practices with impunity. Massive,
widespread, and pervasive corruption affected all levels of government
and the security forces.
“There was a widespread perception [that] judges were easily bribed and litigants could not rely on the courts to render impartial judgments. Citizens encountered long delays and alleged requests from judicial officials for bribes to expedite cases or obtain favourable rulings.
“Police corruption remained rampant. Reports of checkpoint bribery and shooting incidents decreased in February after newly appointed Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar announced the closure of all police checkpoints across the country; however, illegal checkpoints remained common in some regions. Police routinely stopped drivers who did not commit traffic infractions, refusing to allow them to continue until they paid bribes.”
The Obasa administration also faulted the refusal of political office holders, including President Jonathan, to declare their assets public.
In June 2012, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project and other anti-corruption groups demanded that President Jonathan should disclose his assets from 2007 to 2012 but Jonathan refused....no leadership by example in Nigeria.
“There was a widespread perception [that] judges were easily bribed and litigants could not rely on the courts to render impartial judgments. Citizens encountered long delays and alleged requests from judicial officials for bribes to expedite cases or obtain favourable rulings.
“Police corruption remained rampant. Reports of checkpoint bribery and shooting incidents decreased in February after newly appointed Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar announced the closure of all police checkpoints across the country; however, illegal checkpoints remained common in some regions. Police routinely stopped drivers who did not commit traffic infractions, refusing to allow them to continue until they paid bribes.”
The Obasa administration also faulted the refusal of political office holders, including President Jonathan, to declare their assets public.
In June 2012, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project and other anti-corruption groups demanded that President Jonathan should disclose his assets from 2007 to 2012 but Jonathan refused....no leadership by example in Nigeria.
