The Federal Government (FG) has said that new Executive Orders would be given to tackle international fraud. Speaking on behalf of the Nigerian government, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on media and publicity, Mr Garba Shehu said that the present administration was striving to work with all nations around the globe in order to fight crime.
The comments is as a result of the recent developments that have painted Nigeria in a bad light because of the arrest of the Chairman of Invictus Group, Obinwanne Okeke by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as well as the release of a list containing 80 Nigerians who were charged with several offences by the agency.
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Shehu said new laws would be put in place by the National Assembly to prevent Nigerians from engaging in crimes when they travel out of the country. He stated that every citizen is expected to follow the rules and regulations guiding the host countries when they travel out and that the present administration would not excuse criminalities.
“The government will generate and ask for new laws from the National Assembly and there will be new Executive Orders that will block some of these loopholes that have been exploited by our fellow countrymen to go out there and embarrass and black paint the country.
“Every citizen of this country who travels out of the country is required to obey the laws of their host countries. The government would not stand in the way of the justice system.”
On the stigma caused by the recent arrests of Nigerians by the FBI, Shehu said,
“I think every person with a modicum of common sense knows that the action of a few Nigerians is not the action of all Nigerians. We are 200 million-plus in the country and you are talking about 80 Nigerians in this case. They will face the justice system. If the Nigerian Government is expected to cooperate in any way, if it meets the requirement of our laws, they will be assisted to ensure they face justice in that country.
“Nigerians are hardworking people all over the world. There are millions of our citizens out there earning a legitimate living, they don’t deserve to be so tarnished.”
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