The Nigerian government has committed to imprisoning any local government chairman or councillor found embezzling funds from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee designated for local governments.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, announced this on Thursday at the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) lectures in Abuja.
His statement follows the recent Supreme Court ruling supporting Local Government Autonomy.
Fagbemi emphasized that chairmen and councillors do not have immunity and can be prosecuted for corruption.
He encouraged local government chairmen and councillors to opt for transparency over 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, they 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).
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“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.
Waffi TV reports that on July 11, the Supreme Court issued a landmark judgment granting full autonomy to the 774 local governments in the country, thereby ending the interference by some state governors in their affairs.
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