Alleged N30trn Missing Under Okonjo-Iweala Is Impossible - Ribadu

Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the former Chairman of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has stated that it was
impossible for N30 trillion to be 'missing' from the nation's
treasury ThisDay reports.
Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof.
Charles Soludo, had in an article alleged that "over N30 trillion
is missing or stolen or unaccounted for, or simply mismanaged"
under the watch of the coordinating Minister for the Economy
and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
READ ALSO: Is Soludo Wrong?
Ribadu, in an interview with the News Agency Nigeria (NAN) in
Abuja said: "I was baffled and got deluded for anyone to say
that N30 trillion got lost. I think we just have to look at what we
earn as a country and what our budget had been in these few
years, and see how possible it is and if everything we earned is
not up to that within the period she has been the minister, which
is about three to four years, (how can that be?)
"And for somebody to say that N30 trillion is missing is baffling,
especially if you know what our budget is these years. We need
to be careful to avoid more damage to our nation because there
are certain things that when it comes out, it will never go back
again,'' he said
Ribadu maintained that while working under former President
Olusegun Obasanjo, Okonjo-Iweala was the leader of the
Economic Management Team and coordinated the economic
policy of the administration effectively.
"I challenge anybody to say that she stole N1 at that time; we
were all there. I was in charge of EFCC and I want to hear
anybody say that she did this and that.
"And I followed her up till now; I think it is somehow
uncharitable for someone to come out to say that such an
amount of money was missing under her watch,' ' he said .
READ ALSO: Adamawa: Ngilari, Ribadu Agreed To Work
Together
Mallam Ribadu, said it was unfortunate for such controversies
but noted that Okonjo-Iweala was one of the most respected
Nigerians with unimpeachable integrity.
He added that when he worked with her, she exhibited a
nationalistic attitude that was not questionable and believed in
any policy that could take Nigeria and its people forward.
It would be recalled that the former Governor of CBN blasted
Jonathan's administration for being irresponsible with the
Nigerian economy, and later asked Buhari's team to present
their plan for Nigeria's economy.