Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the president on Media and Publicity, has said President Muhammadu Buhari is not interested in naming and shaming sponsors of terrorism in the country.
Adesina said this on Monday, during an interview on Channels Television.
Last week, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) placed six Nigerians on its terror list.
Asked if the President will comment on the issue of terrorism at the United Nations Assembly in New York, following the naming of six Nigerians as “sponsors of terrorism” in UAE, the presidential spokesperson said the focus of the federal government is the prosecution of the suspects.
“Naming and shaming won’t be the motive. Rather, bringing malefactors to justice would be it. Nigeria is not interested in naming and shaming anybody. Rather, it wants to bring them to justice”, he said.
“You will see that the United Arab Emirates has given some names, and the attorney-general of the federation has responded to that matter, saying that in due course, all these people will have their days in court.
“Rest assured that these people will be dragged before justice and justice will have its way”.
Adesina added that investigations are being carried out by different security agencies on sponsors of terrorism, and evidence will be presented for prosecution.
“You don’t take people before the court without investigation. I think even the EFCC chairman, Bawa, spoke about it recently. Investigations are going on at different levels”, he said.
“It would be at the level of EFCC; it would be at the level of the National Intelligence Agency. Different security agencies would be working on it so that when those people eventually appear in court, there will be what the lawyers call a prima facie case against them”.
On the issue of the recent request sent to the senate for the approval of external loans by the President, he argued that the Buhari government is borrowing to execute developmental projects.
“We are borrowing for development and that is the difference between this administration and perhaps others before it, who borrow to steal, who borrow to pocket, who borrow to waste,” Adesina stated.
