Declare amnesty for looters – Senator Akpan urges FG

 

Chairman of Senate Committee on Gas, Senator Bassey Albert Akpan has advocated amnesty for looters who have been accused of stashing stolen wealth in their foreign accounts.The Senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East said this while speaking with reporters in his office on Monday.
According to Akpan, if the current government declares amnesty for looters, about 70 percent of the “billions of dollars” hidden in foreign countries can be recovered.

Akpan said, “The time has come when we have to think outside the box and my own position is this, it is possible that the government can declare amnesty on stolen money. Let every Nigerian that has taken money out of this country be given amnesty to bring back the money and invest in the country.

“We have hundreds of billions of dollars stashed outside the country in the international banks which are being used to drive their economy. Other countries are enjoying this money while we are suffering in Nigeria.
“When owners of the Nigeria’s stolen foreign currencies bring them back to the country as a result of the amnesty, a lot of foreign exchange can be generated to fund our local consumption and we can set target.”