By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA – A coalition of good governance activists, Charles Oputa, also known as Charly Boy, on Tuesday said that President Muhammadu Buhari must not mitigate the crimes former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF); Babachir Lawal and former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA); Ayodele Oke, against the Nigerian people and the Nigerian state by merely sacking them.

In a statement jointly signed by Charly Boy, Deji Adeyanju, Bako Abdul Usman, Ariyo Atoye, and Moses Paul, the coalition stressed the need for the immediate prosecution of Lawal and Oke, and further pressed for the report which indicted them to be made public

It also urged President Buhari to act on other cases of corruption involving top officials in his administration and ensure that they are prosecuted accordingly

The coalition said it “wishes to express a cautious commendation to President Muhammadu Buhari for heeding our call and the eventual firing of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Babachir Lawal and former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency; Ayodele Oke.

“While we have no objection to the current prevailing sentiment that it is better late than never, we are resolute in our demands for the immediate prosecution of Lawal and Oke and for the report which indicted them to be made public.

“President Buhari must not mitigate the crimes of Babachir Lawal and Ayodele Oke against the Nigerian people and the Nigerian state by merely sacking them. Both men must be made to face the law accordingly.

“President Buhari must also order an immediate investigation into the $26Billion dollars NNPC contracts involving the GMD of NNPC Maikanti Baru.

“In addition, the president must not allow former pension boss, Abdulrasheed Maina’s case be swept under the carpet like it was the first time. Maina must be arrested and prosecuted so that his case will serve as a deterrent to other looters of public wealth.

“As a group of genuinely concerned citizens, we must remind President Buhari that the fight against corruption is sharply losing momentum because top government officials in the president’s cabinet are being shielded by the president.

“In the best interest of Nigeria and the administration, we strongly urge the president to act on other cases of corruption involving top officials in his administration and ensure that they are prosecuted accordingly. For if this is not done, president Buhari’s fight against corruption will lose the trust it enjoyed at the beginning of his administration and Nigeria will be worse off than it was in 2015.”