SAN FRANCISCO, July 28, (THEWILL) – Members of some civil society groups in the country have questioned the anti-corruption efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government, as they protested against an alleged illegal recruitment and nepotism in some government agencies.
They marched on Wednesday to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, where they submitted their protest letter for onward transmission to the President. One of their placards read: “All Nigerians must be given equal opportunity in employment”.
Among the protesters was a popular activist, Aisha Yesufu; and an author, Chido Onumah; who were joined by members of Citizens of Impact, Enough is Enough, Youthup Africa.
In his address, convener of Citizens of Impact, Daniel Olatunde said the Central Bank of Nigeria, Federal Inland Revenue Service and Nigeria Prisons Service, embarked on illegal recruitment exercises and that some of the recruits paid huge amounts to get the jobs.
While claiming that one of the 909 persons recruited by the CBN “through backdoor” was Buhari’s nephew, he stressed that the FIRS Chairman, Babatunde Fowler, “lied barefaced and was deceiving Nigerians” that the body was going to recruit 1,250 people during a session with the Senate Finance Committee at a time he had already concluded “the recruitment of children of his cronies including that of John Enoh, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance.”
Olatunde continued that cover its illegal recruitment exercise, one of the well-paying government parastatals backdated letters of appointment to 530 people, stressing that “no transparency as these exercises were done under the table.”
“It is shocking the government has been loud in its silence. Nobody has investigated or reversed it….President Buhari came to power on thr crest of anti-corruption campaign.”
Also speaking, Mrs. Yesufu said Buhari should be reminded that looting constitutes corruption, as well as “nepotism and illegal recruitment of children of who is who”.
The protesters demanded investigation of the exercises and their reversal, while heads of the concerned public bureaucracies be sanctioned.
“If citizens come out to protest peacefully, they should be listened to. It is not only those who carry arms that should be listened to,” Mrs. Yesufu said.
The President’s Special Assistant on Policy, Development and Analysis, Ibrahim Bapitel, represented the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal.
After listening to the protesters and receiving their letter, Bapitel said: “I believe in the content of this letter. I assure action could be taken.”
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