Nigerian cardinal urges disclosure of how recovered funds were spent

Published: 2008-01-04

LAGOS, Nigeria (CNS) -- Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okogie of Lagos has urged the Nigerian government to disclose what it did with the stolen money recovered from politicians and other public officials. Cardinal Okogie, speaking to reporters Jan. 1 in Lagos, said Nigerians would want to know how much had been recovered and on what it had been spent. "Very often, we hear of the recovery of our stolen money, but we're never told how much of it is recovered from our corrupt leaders and what is done with the recovered loot," the archbishop said. "We need to know. The people are anxious not only to know the amount but what is being done with the recovered loot," he said. The cardinal praised the anti-corruption zeal of the current Nigerian administration, headed by President Umaru Yar'Adua, and stressed that "the anti-corruption crusade should be on course." He also said he regretted that the world's image of Nigeria is bad.

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