We are ready to fight Corruption- Gov Yahaya declares

The Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya has reacted to the recent statistics by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics on the corruption index of states placing Gombe state second place with 45% to Kogi state.

Governor Yahaya stated this on Monday at the world anti-corruption day commemoration with the theme 'United against Corruption' by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Gombe state.

He said his administration is set to team up with the federal government in combating corruption. Yahaya noted that the previous administration of Dankwambo plundered the state despite bailout and budget support the administration failed to pay gratuity of Gombe retirees.

"We are ready to fight Corruption and we will take this campaign against corruption to the next level. According to President Muhammadu Buhari, if you don't kill corruption corruption will kill you.

"No one is surprised by the rating by NBS. The last administration plundered the state, despite federal government bailout, budget support, it could not pay retirees. My presence here is an attestation that we have zero tolerance for corruption. Both elected and appointed must eschew corruption and citizens should expose those involved. "We shall act appropriately with the support of relevant agencies to bring culprits to justice," he said.

Zonal head of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Michael Wetkas, in his opening remarks noted that corruption is the cause of insecurity and has no race or creed.

"Today is a day of reflection, a common enemy that knows no race, creed. Corruption is the highest violation of human rights. This is a stern warning that we have all it takes to tackle greed" You will recall that the report titled, ‘The 2nd Corruption Survey Report in Nigeria’, was released in Abuja on Friday.

The NBS conducted the survey with the support of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and other partner international organs.