By Steve Oni, Ilorin
The Nigerian High Commissioner to Malaysia, Alhaji Nurudeen Mohammed has described corruption in Nigeria as a big problem that has deterred the country from moving forward.
According to him, unless all Nigerian citizens join hands with President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to fight the scourge, the fight is difficult to win and might eventually destroy and consume the entire nation.
Alhaji Mohammed raised this alarm in Ilorin , the Kwara State capital while answering questions on a Radio Kwara personality interview programme, “Playing Host”.
The high commissioner who is a non-career diplomat and the Tafida of Kaiama stated that as long as people want to accumulate wealth by hook or crook, then the country has no hope of moving forward, adding that somebody must rise and fight this cankerworm called corruption in our system.
He therefore urged Nigerians to rise and join hands with President Muhammadu Buhari in fighting corruption, lamenting that all industries in the country and the system are not working due to the corrupt nature of most of the citizens.
Alhaji Mohammed called on all the agencies responsible for arresting and prosecuting corrupt people to be more responsive and proactive in the discharge of their duties while those with information about corrupt people should also not hesitate to report such people to the authorities concerned.
Speaking on the forthcoming Nigerian elections, the diplomat cautioned politicians and the political gladiators to watch their utterances and avoid insulting, demarketting or degrading their opponents because they are seeking for votes, but rather, market their products and allow the electorate to make a choice on the day of election.
The Tafida Kaiama appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security operatives to remain neutral and unbiased in the performance of their constitutional duties during the general elections and warned the electorate in particular to shun violence before, during and after the elections but rather maintain a violence free atmosphere.
Alhaji Mohammed described the relationship between Nigeria and Malaysia as cordial and recalled that sometimes in the early fifties, Malaysia took palm nuts from Nigeria and today, they are the major producers of palm oil in the world, a technology which Nigeria can equally exploit and tap on.
He added that he had met with the two associations of Nigerians in Malaysia, the Nigerian Diaspora Organisation , Malaysia Chapter and the Nigeria Community in Malaysia and was currently working towards bringing the two bodies under the same umbrella so that they can work together as a body towards the same goal.
On terrorism, the diplomat disclosed that there are so many dimensions to it such as kidnappings, religious extremism and the Boko Haram sects which are all threats to security and therefore urged the government and security agencies to use counter arms to suppress the activities of the terrorists.
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