Nigeria is the most corrupt country in the world - Britain

David Cameron

British Prime Minister, David Cameron has described Nigeria as a “fantastically corrupt” country. Caught on camera yesterday making a remark ahead of the international anti-corruption summit scheduled for tomorrow in London, Cameron had labeled Nigeria and Afghanistan as two of the most corrupt countries of the world.
Cameron was speaking at Buckingham Palace at an event to mark Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday. Obviously informing the queen about the conference, he described Nigeria and Afghanistan as “fantastically corrupt” nations. His words: “Actually we have got some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain… “Nigeria and Afghanistan –possibly two of the most corrupt countries in the world.” But in a swift reaction, Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, intervened, saying (of President Muhammadu Buhari): “But this particular president is not corrupt…
he’s trying very hard.”
Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, in his own contribution said: “They are coming at their own expense, one assumes?” However, reacting on the scathing remark by Cameron, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mallam Garba Shehu, President Muhammadu Buhari declared the statement as quite embarrassing.
The statement reads in part: “This is embarrassing to us, to say the least, given the good work that the President is doing. The eyes of the world are on what is happening here.” President Buhari said Cameron must be making his point from an old impression about the Nigerian nation as things had really changed since he took over government. “Prime Minister must be looking at an old snapshot of Nigeria.
Things are changing with corruption and everything else.” Pleased by the comment of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who argued that the president was not corrupt, he said: “Thank you to the Archbishop.
We have great admiration for the good relationship between our two countries.” President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to attend the conference in London with the theme, “Exposing Corruption, Tackling Corruption and Driving Out Corruption.” He is billed to address a pre-summit conference on “Why We Must Tackle Corruption Together”.
At the occasion, Buhari will encourage the international community to move faster on the dismantling of safe havens for the proceeds of corruption and the return of stolen funds and assets to their countries of origin. Expected to attend the summit with the president are the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami and the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim MaguA statement earlier issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said Buhari would speak at the opening session of the summit with others, including Prime Minister Cameron and the President of World Bank, Dr. Jim Yong Kim. The statement reads in part: “As an internationally recognised leader in the global fight against corruption, President Buhari will play a prominent part in the summit which will be hosted by Prime Minister David Cameron of Great Britain with many other Heads of State and Government in attendance.
“In his address to the summit and interactions with other participating leaders, President Buhari will urge the international community to move faster on the dismantling of safe havens for the proceeds of corruption and the return of stolen funds and assets to their countries of origin.
“The President will also reaffirm his administration’s unwavering commitment to the fight against corruption and the Federal Government’s readiness to partner with international agencies and other countries to identify, apprehend and punish corrupt public officials.”
Meanwhile, in furtherance of the ongoing efforts by his administration to enhance the security of lives, properties and investments in Nigeria and neighbouring countries, President Buhari would host the second Regional Security Summit in Abuja on Saturday. According to a statement issued yesterday by Adesina, participants in the summit would include President Francois Hollande of France who hosted the first summit in Paris on May 17, 2014.
Buhari and the French President who is scheduled to arrive Abuja on Friday on an official visit to Nigeria would be joined by the Presidents of Cameroon, Niger Republic, Chad and Benin Republic. United States, Britain, Equatorial Guinea, the European Union, ECOWAS, Economic Community of Central African States and the Gulf of Guinea Commission would also be represented at the summit which would have the successful conclusion of ongoing military operations against Boko Haram at the top of its agenda.
The speedy resolution of the humanitarian crises caused by the atrocities of the terrorist group would also feature prominently on the summit’s agenda. Before proceeding to the summit, Buhari would receive Hollande and the French delegation at the Presidential Villa on Saturday morning. It is expected that new agreements on further defence and cultural cooperation between Nigeria and France would be concluded and signed after talks between the two Presidents and their officials