The fight against corruption in Nigeria remains alarmingly weak, despite its devastating impact on national development.
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This assertion was made by Kunle Edun, SAN, who highlighted glaring shortcomings in the nation’s approach to tackling corruption compared to decisive actions in other countries.
Citing a recent example from China, where a court sentenced its former national soccer coach to 20 years in prison for accepting bribes, Edun lamented that Nigeria’s efforts pale in comparison. “Here in Nigeria, politicians who steal billions of naira often receive lenient sentences or enter plea bargains that ignore public interest,” he said.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria further criticized the granting of state pardons to ex-governors and officials convicted of looting public funds, allowing them to walk free and retain their ill-gotten wealth. Such actions, he argued, undermine the essence of justice and perpetuate impunity.
Edun also pointed to systemic challenges in Nigeria’s legal system that enable corruption cases to be deliberately stalled. “Defence counsel often frustrate cases by dragging proceedings for years and filing endless interlocutory appeals up to the Supreme Court,” he noted, despite provisions in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) mandating day-to-day trials for criminal cases.
He called out society’s complicity in enabling corruption through silence or glorification of corrupt individuals. “We are all culpable because our actions—or inactions—encourage corruption, whether through praise-singing or turning a blind eye,” he said.
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