Ibrahim Magu, Acting Chairman, Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has called on the media to complement
the work of the anti-corruption agencies, describing the role of the media as
vital in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
“The media occupy unique place in the
fight against corruption and impunity in Nigeria. As the Fourth Estate of the
Realm, the media is the only profession that is constitutionally mandated to
hold the nation’s leaders to account”, he said.
Magu made the appeal in a keynote address
delivered on Monday, November 27, 2017 at the 68th Annual General Assembly
of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria, BON, at Ibeto Hotels, Abuja.
The event with the theme, “The Nigerian
Media and the War Against Corruption”, had in attendance the Minister of
Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; Chairman, BON, John Momoh and Director
General, National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, Modibo Kawu, among others.
According to
Magu, for corruption to be effectively tackled, the media must align itself
with the progressive aspirations of Nigerians.
His words: “Corruption in Nigeria is
cancerous and has defiled every effort at eradicating it while making the
country a laughing stock in the comity of nation. There are few nations that
are as rich as Nigeria yet poor. Poverty in the midst of wealth is the paradox
of our national existence and corruption is the culprit”.
The EFCC boss enjoined the media to rise
above personal and parochial interests, while urging them to always be fair and
objective in their reportage.
While lamenting “the seeming ethical rot
in the media”, the anti-graft czar called on media practitioners to always
uphold the ethics of their profession. He also urged media owners to give
priority attention to the welfare of their employees saying, “The media is too
critical to be left at the mercy of the corrupt oligarchs in our midst”.
He reiterated the determination of the
EFCC towards ensuring that anyone who steals from the public treasury and all
those who assist them to do so under whatever guise, are brought to justice.
According to him, without the efforts of
the EFCC the current economic challenges confronting our nation could have been
worse. He said that, through the Commission’s enforcement activities, global
confidence has been restored in our nation while leakages in the economy had
been checked and looted funds running into several billions of naira had been
recovered.
Declaring the event open, the Minister of Information and
Culture, Lai Mohammed, noted that most of the country’s problems were as
a result of corruption saying, “it is an issue that has to be tackled
decisively or it will destroy the country”.
Considering the resistance to the war
against corruption, Mohammed believes the chances of victory are slimmer
without the support of the media.
He said, “When the media is not fully on
board, the fight against corruption becomes tougher. When the media sits on
every setback we suffer prosecuting this war, they give succor to the corrupt.
When the media falls for the distraction tactics of those who are mortally
afraid of this war, they weaken the battle”.
The Minister
appealed to the media to stop mocking the Federal Government and support the
war against corruption.
“As we have said times without number,
this fight must not be seen as Buhari’s fight alone. It must not be seen as the
Federal Government’s fight; it is our fight”, he said.
Earlier, John Momoh,
Chairman, BON, while stressing
the importance of digital broadcasting and the need for its immediate
implementation said the
organisation was yet to have a clear roadmap for the implementation of the
Digital Switch Over (DSO) in Nigeria.
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