In the statement, the coalition specifically pressed President Muhammadu Buhari to order the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate any Nigerians named in the leaks.
A coalition of civil society organizations has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to investigate all Nigerians implicated in the Panama Papers leaks.
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In a signed statement by the Africa Network for Environment & Economic Justice (ANEEJ) and other organizations, the activists expressed anger over the Nigerian government’s failure to launch an investigation into the leaks, especially in a time when the national economy is suffering. The group also found the government’s silence “curious” because governments across the world have announced investigations into nationals implicated in the Panama Papers.
In the statement, the coalition specifically pressed President Muhammadu Buhari to order the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate any Nigerians named in the leaks.
Furthermore, the group called on the Nigerian government to review the country’s anti-money laundering laws “according to global best practices” in order to prevent public officials from diverting public funds into tax havens.
The coalition also requested that the government make the asset recovery process transparent and public in order to send the message that Nigeria is serious about tackling corruption.
Members of the coalition gathered in Abuja on Tuesday in a rally pressuring the government to begin investigations.
The statement was signed by the following civil society organizations: Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ); Center for Democracy & Development (CDD); Tax Justice and Governance Platform (TJ&GP); Say No Campaign (SNC), Social-Economic Rights Accountability Project (SERAP); Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC); African Center for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Center LSD); Integrity; Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN); and Nigerian Network on Stolen Assets (NNSA).