Lai: We’ve opened a register to prevent ‘re-looting’ of recovered assets

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, says the federal government has created a register for all recovered assets to prevent “re-looting”.

Speaking at a meeting with Mohammed Ibn Chambas, representative of the United Nations secretary-general for West Africa in Abuja on Friday, Mohammed said the register would be made public soon.

“Corruption is as dangerous as terrorism. For an economy as ours, which is in a recession,  the mindless looting of our resources has made us arrive at this particular situation,” he said.

“The government is focused, and it is not looking back in the fight against corruption, and it is clear today that nobody will be spared.

“Through the effort presidential committee on asset recovery , the government has been able to coordinate the collation  and categorisation of recovered assets from 2015 to 2016.

“The committee has approved a central asset management committee under the minister of finance which will manage the recovered assets to avoid re-looting or mismanagement as was the case in the past.

“The government has created an asset register for recovered stolen assets to avoid a situation where the assets disappear. And this register will be available for the public.”

Speaking, Chambas said the aim of the meeting was to look at the humanitarian crisis in the northeast.

He assured Mohammed of the UN solidarity with Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram.

“We express solidarity with Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram. In the fight against Boko Haram you can count on the UN,” he said.