Anti-corruption war: Group expresses confidence in Buhari, says his ill-health not barrier

The Anti-Corruption and Research-Based Data Initiative (ARDI) has expressed confidence in the Muhammadu Buhari administration’s ability to win its anti-corruption fight in spite of the president’s health challenge.

Mr Dennis Aghanya, the Executive Secretary of ARDI, told our reporter in Lagos on Monday that Buhari had shown commitment to eradicating corruption.

Aghanya was reacting to a speculation that the administration might lose the fight because of the president’s ill-health.

“I pray Mr President recovers fast to come and supervise his anti-corruption fight but we believe his state of health has only affected his level of supervision and not the output.

“Nigerians should understand that he is still the one with the vision; rather than speculate about downfall, we should change from culture of impunity to culture of doing things the right way.

“Corruption is the bane of our problems; if we can shun it, we will enjoy an ideal society,’’ he told our reporter.

On the plan by the Federal Government to announce a policy on community policing, Aghanya said: “The time is here to decentralise the Nigeria Police Force.

“I cannot understand why some state governors cannot issue instructions to state commissioners of police.

“How do such governors ensure that the programmes of the police for such states fall in line with the developmental templates of the governors?

“The Acting President is getting it right,’’ he said.

It was reported that the Federal Government is to announce a new policy on community policing soon to address kidnapping, robbery and other violent crimes.

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, who made this known in Abuja last week, said that the policy would involve retired inspectors-general of police whose experience and expertise would be exploited to address security challenges.

Osinbajo made the statement at the launch of a book entitled: “Law on Prevention and Detection of Crimes by the Police in Nigeria’’.

The acting president said that the current security system was not efficient enough to address the security challenges facing the nation.