In commemoration of this year’s International Anti-Corruption Day, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has announced December 9, 2020 as the day to publicly present its latest research work, the 4th edition of a “Compendium on 100 High Profile Corruption Cases in Nigeria”, noting that the presentation will broadcast live on the organisation’s social medial platforms.

According to a statement issued by the organization in Lagos, the annual compendium provides members of the general public with verifiable information on some protracted 100 high profile corruption cases that began since 2005, detailing: parties involved, case number, nature of offence, amount involved, year case was filed, court and judges to which the case was assigned, status and circumstances surrounding the case.

Chairman of HEDA, Mr Olanrewaju Suraju, who signed the statement said: “The Compendium was a product of thorough research and analyses by experts with the aim of assisting the public, the media, researchers, law enforcement agencies and judiciary leadership with information handy enough for ease of reference in order to challenge and reform the system on the need for speedy dispensation of justice in anticorruption cases while also raising the importance of transparency and accountability, given corruption induced developmental setback in Nigeria.”

Citing the Chatham House’s report, Mr Suraju said about USD582 billion has been stolen in Nigeria since independence, thereby undermining the institution of critical infrastructure and development in the Country, a situation which has also earned the country the title of poverty capital of the world with over 80 million extremely poor people.

Concerned about the attitudinal dispositions of Nigerians towards the fight against corrupt, despite its obviously huge consequences, he said: “It is however worrisome that Nigerians continue to celebrate looters of the country’s resources who have impoverished them. Nigerians continue to give chieftaincy titles and organise red carpet reception for many of these alleged looters. Therefore, the Compendium seeks to cure the people of this dangerous amnesia and thus increase citizens’ awareness of those high profile corruption cases to hold the suspects, anticorruption agencies and administration of criminal justice system accountable to the people.”

Mr. Suraju added that this 4th edition of the compendium was preceded by: investigative researches, analyses and identification of high-profile corruption cases not listed in the previous editions.

HEDA noted that corruption has become a global virus threatening various countries of the world – attacking the root of democratic institutions by distorting electoral processes, distorting the rule of law and creating bureaucratic bogs whose only reason for existing is soliciting of bribes, the UN launched a global fight against it, on October 31, 2003 as the General Assembly adopted Resolution 58/4 which is the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) (effective, December 2005), and also designated December 9 as International Anti-Corruption Day, to raise awareness of corruption and of the role of the Convention in combating and preventing it.

The organisation said it keyed into global efforts at combating corruption by launching the compendium on this Day on December 9, 2017 and sustaining the efforts every year since then. It therefore urged all Nigerians at home and in diaspora, the spirit of this year’s theme, “Recover with Integrity” to also key into this global initiative by downloading the latest edition of the Compendium from the organisation’s website, www.hedang.org, Twitter handle, @HEDAgenda, or request a hard copy from HEDA’s office from December 9, 2020 and use the information contained in it to help further the fight against corruption in their own ways.

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