*Pix below(l-r): PBAT and AGF Fagbemi
The Nigerian government has vowed to jail any serving local government chairman or councillor found embezzling the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee allocations for LGs, following their new autonomy.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, disclosed this on Thursday at the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) lectures in Abuja.
His comments come amidst the recent Supreme Court judgment endorsing Local Government Autonomy.
According to Fagbemi, the Chairmen and Councillors are without immunity, hence they can be charged in court over corruption at any time.
He urged local government Chairmen and Councillors to choose the path of transparency rather than corruption.
“Well, we have a situation on our hands, I know that it is still there; the conduct of elections is to be undertaken by the states.
“But the distinction is this: don’t forget, the governors have immunity, the local government council chairmen or councillors have no immunity, so they have to choose between dealing with the funds of the local government as they like and risking going to jail. The choice is theirs (LG chairmen).
“If they want to tamper with these funds and end up in jail, it is their choice. Or if they want to write their names in letters of gold, activities like construction or upgrading of roads must return to the local government. They don’t all have to come to Abuja.
Recall that on 11 July, the apex court in a landmark judgment endorsed full autonomy for the 774 local governments in the country, putting an end to the abuse of their affairs by some state governors.(agency)/###
