What Buhari, FBI Are Doing About 80 Fraud Suspects – Presidency

The Presidency on Sunday said it is working with the United States government to make sure the 80 Nigerians indicted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for fraud face justice.

Speaking on Channels TV, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, described the 77 suspects on FBI list as an embarrassment to Nigeria.

“This is double damage on every citizen of Nigeria. It is a big scare on all of us who go out of this country and are seen in this image that these our brothers have created,” he said.

“We will cooperate with international organizations, the government will generate and ask for new laws from the National Assembly and there will be new executive orders that will block some of these loopholes that are being exploited by some of our fellow countrymen to go out there and embarrass and blacklist the country.”

Buhari’s reaction

He revealed that plans have been put in place to create laws that will tackle fraud and money laundering.

“Like I said earlier, this administration will work with all nations around the globe to fight criminality. If Nigerians are involved in this thing, well hard luck to them,” the presidential spokesperson said.

“The president will not stand in the way of the justice system. Every citizen that travels out of this country is expected to obey the laws of their host country. President Muhammadu Buhari is not one to excuse Nigerians from the laws of countries in which they reside.

“Therefore you will expect a more vigorous engagement with the National Assembly. The laws will have to change, this has got to be tackled and if it will take executive orders, this will be strengthened very rapidly.”

200 million Nigerians

Garba Shehu, however, stated that it would be unfair to all Nigerians as fraudulent because of the action of a few.

“I think every person with a modicum of common sense knows that the action of a few Nigerians is not the action of all Nigerians. We are 200 million-plus in the country and you are talking about 80 Nigerians in this case, they will face the justice system, if the Nigerian Government is expected to cooperate in any way, extradition, if it meets the requirement of our laws, they will be assisted to ensure they face justice in that country.

“Nigerians are hardworking people all over the world, there are millions of our citizens out there earning a legitimate living, they don’t deserve to be so tarnished,” he said.