By AMINA SAMUEL KADUNA
A Civil Society Organisation (CSO) has initiated a fresh nationwide campaign aimed at tracing and recovering looted public assets both within Nigeria and abroad, in light of growing concerns regarding the country’s dwindling public revenue and rampant corruption.
The Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTiPI) convened a sensitisation symposium in Kaduna, calling on stakeholders, including professional bodies, to unite and take a leading role in exposing illicit wealth and ensuring that stolen assets are returned for public benefit.
Umar Yakubu, Executive Director of the organisation, led the engagement in Kaduna on Thursday, stating that the initiative aims to enhance public oversight and galvanise support for asset recovery through lawful channels, particularly by utilising tools such as the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and collaborating with anti-corruption agencies.
“No public servant should earn more than two hundred million naira in a year, yet we observe assets linked to them amounting to billions. These are clear warning signs that must not be overlooked. We must begin to ask the pertinent questions and follow the money,” Yakubu said.
He elaborated that the centre has developed a database to track recovered assets and highlight existing gaps in Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts. The portal is accessible to the public, enabling journalists, lawyers, and citizens to monitor progress and instigate action.
“Our objective is to encourage deeper collaboration between journalists, lawyers, and civil society actors with law enforcement and regulatory bodies. Asset recovery is a vital element in the struggle against corruption, and when looted wealth is returned, it should be allocated to education, healthcare, and infrastructure,” he added.
Barrister Baba Lawal Aliyu of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Kaduna Branch, remarked that the symposium was timely, urging media and legal professionals to recommit to their duty of holding those in power accountable.
“We have been practising democracy for over two decades, yet many budgets remain unmonitored and unimplemented. As the watchdogs of society, we must intensify our efforts. The time for silence or indifference is over,” he stated.
He stressed the importance of media professionals in following budget lines, engaging government agencies, and exposing misappropriations, asserting that “if we fail to track public funds, those who profit from corruption will continue to thrive unchecked.”
In a similar vein, Comrade Gambo Santos Sanga, Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council, reaffirmed the union’s commitment to combatting illicit financial flows and the mismanagement of public resources.
“Our democracy can only flourish when those in power are held accountable to the people. Journalists are not merely observers — we are the conscience of the nation. We must ask the difficult questions, pursue facts through FOI requests, and illuminate hidden assets regardless of whose name is involved,” Sanga asserted.
He pledged that the NUJ Kaduna Council would continue to collaborate with reputable civil society groups and law enforcement agencies to ensure that every stolen asset is uncovered and returned for national development.
The event, which follows similar engagements in Kano and other states, is part of a broader national campaign to instil fiscal discipline and transparency in public service while mobilising grassroots and professional participation in Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework.”
