Posted on 06/30/2005 9:05:10 AM PDT by Alexander Rubin
Last week we learned that the situation in Africa is significantly worse than we thought. I am not talking about poverty. I’m talking about theft. In Nigeria alone, some US $400 billion was stolen by that country’s leaders during the last four decades of the 20th Century, according to Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. "We cannot be accurate down to the last figure, but that is our projection," said Commission spokesman Osita Nwajah.
This staggering sum, equal to six times the amount that the Marshall Plan provided to rebuild Europe, was taken by Nigeria’s military leaders between 1960, when the country gained independence from Britain and 1999, when civilian rule was re-established.
Nigeria is a relatively wealthy nation, by any standard, not just that used for Africa, given that the country has over 35 billion barrels of proven oil reserves. However, this story illustrates just how badly in need of reform most African nations are.
(Excerpt) Read more at canadafreepress.com ...
Klaus is just figuring this out now?
Klaus has been writing about it for a while. He's not a big Geldof fan, and as a businessman, the inefficient, financially draining and unproductive way they are trying to give aid to Africa really bothers him.
I know! Some of this money has been offered to me in an email I received recently...
Guilt? It is in the Communist Goals of 1963 to force African countries that were European colonies to become independent before they were ready in order to destry the Western influence on them. They got what they wanted.
ROFLMAO. Yes, me too, about 400 times (though the names change every so often). All I have to do is give this nice Nigerian man my bank account, and I will get 2.5 million for holding 10 times that amount for the deposed president.
What could possibly go wrong? ;) I mean, what person in their right mind wouldn't trust a complete stranger with their bank account? It's a fool proof plan.
We can laugh, but many people do just that...
True, and very sad. I'd like to see higher penalties and more police taskforces for things lke that, but I don't know if we can make it a priority. I've read America loss several billion dollars a year on easily preventable internet frauds.
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