Tobi Soniyi
President Muhammadu Buhari has told western countries that failure by them to return funds stolen from Nigeria and other African countries will make it difficult for Nigeria and others to achieve sustainable developments.
Speaking in New York at the High-Level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly to commemorate the 30thanniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, the president called on development partners to also up the fight against corruption by returning ill-gotten financial assets and halting future illicit financial flows to their countries.
He cautioned that non-repatriation of illicit financial assets could impinge on the determination of States to achieve an all-inclusive 2030 sustainable development.
Buhari said such collective action “will guarantee a stronger international defence of the right to development.”
He notes further that illicit financial assets stashed abroad deprived developing countries including Nigeria, and invariably denied people the enjoyment of their national wealth and resources needed for development.
