By Iliya Kure
Civil Society Groups in Nigeria are meeting in Abuja this week to discuss issues relating to strengthening of legal framework against corruption in the country.
The meeting, spearheaded by Media Initiative against Injustice, Violence and Corruption – MIIVOC, with support from Justice for All of the British council, expects Civil Society organisations from across the country in attendance.
Top on the agenda is the strengthening of advocacy strategies for transmission and passage of three bills, namely, the Proceeds of Crime – POCA; Nigeria Financial Intelligence Center- NFIC; Whistle Blowers Protection and Mutual Legal Assistance Bills.
Addressing journalists in Calabar, Executive Director of MIIVOC, Walter Duru described the bills as central to the country’s anti-graft war.
“During the annual Conference on Financial Fraud, Cyber Crime and Cross Border Crimes, held in Abuja in February, 2016, the Attorney General, in his keynote address assured Nigerians that the bills will be transmitted to the National Assembly as Executive bills and eventually passed, while announcing that the Mutual Legal Assistance and Money Laundering bills were already transmitted.
“Till date, nothing appears to be happening in the case of the rest of the bills and nobody is saying anything to the citizens. It is obvious that some enemies of the country are working round the clock to ensure that they are not passed.
“The primary essence of the meeting is to review the situation and agree on steps to be taken to ensure that those that have roles to play live up to their responsibility.”
