Lagos, July 23, 2023 – The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Center) has urged the anti-corruption agencies, EFCC and ICPC to prosecute unresolved corruption cases before them during a peaceful protest to their Lagos zonal offices.
HEDA, an anti-corruption agency, urged the anti-graft bodies to prosecute high-profile corruption cases amounting to the tune of over 1.6 trillion dollars.
Addressing news, HEDA’s Legal Officer, Barrister David Ogungbesan, said that HEDA was at the EFCC and ICPC offices to remind the anti-corruption agencies of their statutory responsibilities.
Ogungbesan said that the protest was an annual project undertaken by the HEDA Resources Centre to raise to the front burner issues of national concerns and development.
According to him, the amount stolen by a few individuals, if judiciously used, would have taken the country from a developing to a developed country where the citizens will be proud of their country.
He urged the EFCC and ICPC to be proactive and diligent in the investigation and prosecution of corruption cases, especially those cited in HEDA’s publication.
“Nigeria is currently in a precarious situation with the continuous rise in prices of fuel, gas, food and basic necessities, and insecurity which have adversely affected cost of livingThe of the citizens
“It is our position that the anti-corruption agencies can retrieve these huge amounts of money for the country by resolving all the corruption cases.
“Thus, saving Nigerians from the current economic hardship and turning Nigeria to a prosperous nation,” Ogungbesan said.
The climax of the protest was the presentation of HEDA’s Compendium containing unresolved high-profile corruption cases to the EFCC officials and the Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner, ICPC, Lagos, Mr Kabir Elelu.
In his remarks, Elelu commended HEDA’s team and assured them that he will relay their message to the Chairman, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye (SAN).
He commended HEDA for its anti-corruption stand, adding that they were partners in progress.
