TI calls on Nigerian government to strengthen efforts to investigate murder of Bola Ige

TI's national chapters, at their Annual General Meeting in Casablanca, Morocco, commemorated the work of Nigeria's late Attorney General Chief Bola Ige and his efforts to recover assets stolen during the Abacha regime

Casablanca/Berlin, 16 October 2002

Transparency International has appealed to the Nigerian government to "redouble its efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators of the murder of the late Attorney General, Chief Bola Ige". Chief Ige was murdered just two weeks after addressing the 10th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) in Prague, which took place on 7-11 October 2001. Chief Ige had addressed the conference on the Nigerian government's efforts to recover assets stolen during the regime of the late dictator Sani Abacha.

The life and work of Chief Ige was recognised by the members of Transparency International, the anti-corruption organisation which also serves as the Secretariat of the IACC.

A resolution was passed at TI's Annual General Meeting in Casablanca, Morocco, on 12-13 October 2002, noting "with much sadness the murder of Chief Bola Ige, two weeks after addressing the 10th International Anti-Corruption Conference in Prague in October 2001. In that conference, Chief Ige focussed on efforts by the Nigerian government to recover stolen assets, and he pointed out the difficulty in getting governments in the West to co-operate in such recovery. Nigeria has been cruelly deprived of a courageous servant of justice."

To honour Chief Ige, the meeting resolved to publicly condemn his murder and urge the Nigerian government to redouble its efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators of this cruel deed, and to show solidarity with, and express our deepest sympathies to, the family of Chief Ige.

It was also agreed that TI and its African chapters would develop appropriate means to recognise and commemorate Chief Ige's work and ideals.

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