Abia North Senator, Orji Uzor Kalu, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to grant amnesty to former Nigerian leaders and public officials accused of looting public funds if they agree to return the money within a specified period.
Kalu said a two-year window should be created to allow individuals who allegedly diverted public resources to voluntarily return the funds without facing prosecution.
The former Abia State governor made the call while appearing on News Central TV’s programme, 60 Minutes With Mr Kay, where he argued that recovered funds could help strengthen Nigeria’s economy.
According to him, billions of naira allegedly kept by some former public officials in private residences were not contributing to economic growth because they were outside the formal banking system.
“President Tinubu should give people pardon. Between the houses in Abuja, if you search all the houses, you might have over N50, N60 billion lying down there,” Kalu said.
He urged the President to establish a policy that would allow anyone who had kept public funds since independence in 1960 to return the money without fear of punishment.
“Give a window of two years and say, no matter from 1960, no matter where you keep the money, return it to Nigeria, nobody will touch you. You are pardoned,” he added.
Kalu maintained that bringing such funds back into circulation would support economic development and improve the country’s financial system.
Samuel Agada is a writer and media contributor from Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria. He is a graduate of Biochemistry from the University of Jos and a former banker with GTBank and FCMB. A prolific writer, songwriter, educator, and Gospel preacher, he is passionate about informing, inspiring, and impacting society through his work.