President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to Nigerian lawyers to support his government's war on corruption and help return the country to the path of uprightness. He urged lawyers who often defend human rights to also see corruption as a violation of human rights.
Buhari identified corruption as the major reason why Nigerians suffer all manner of derivations
.
“For the masses of our people, the millions still wallowing in want and diseases, corruption is a major reason why they cannot go to school; why they cannot be gainfully employed; and why there are few doctors, nurses and drugs in their hospitals and health centers.
“It is the reason why pensioners are not paid and potable water is scarce.
“In effect, corruption diverts public resources meant for millions of people into the private pockets of a greedy few, thereby causing a lot of suffering, deprivation and death.
“In my view, there can be no greater violation of human rights.
“Viewed in this way, I think we can all fully appreciate the gravity of this oppressive and destructive evil. This should rouse us to fight it with the same zeal and doggedness as we deploy in the defence of fundamental rights, ” he said
He also advised lawyers to place the integrity of Nigeria's legal system above their own pecuniary considerations by not covering up the misdeeds of their clients.
The president spoke this Sunday through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu at the opening of the 55th annual general conference of the Nigerian Bar Association in Abuja
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