Lawmakers have called for the building of ‘big’ prisons for corrupt officials in the country, asking President Muhammadu Buhari to, as a matter of urgency, okay the request.

Senator Ben Murray-Bruce made this appeal during plenary on Wednesday, while contributing to a motion on the North East Development Commission (NEDC).

The lawmaker who recounted his experience on an oversight tour of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) expressed disgust at the high level of corruption within the interventionist agency.

According to him, “When myself and Shehu Sani went for oversight at the Niger Delta Development Commission, we saw the corruption in how the funds were spent.

“A good part of the budget is spent on overhead. If you go to the office, it is like a market place. It makes me wonder even though I voted for this (NEDC) bill, it makes me wonder may be the money should go to state government to run the affairs.

“I am beginning to wonder if I made the right decision to vote for the bill, please forgive me, the experience I have had is so bad in the south-south. I begin to wonder, do not be offended.

“If that is the case, I urge President Muhammadu Buhari that we set up a very big prison for committing fraud. My advice is that we should be careful for with these multiple commissions we are setting up. But if 50 percent of the budget is spent on overhead it will defeat the purpose it is set up for.”

Another lawmaker who contributed to the matter, Senator Shehu Sani supported the motion, saying: “There is much need to pay attention to past failures. I have listened to contributions of earlier speakers and all that is necessary is to learn lessons of the failures of the past. There should be priority, the basic objectives and goals must be the focus.”

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