Publishing names of suspected looters ll' jeopardize investigations- Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday explained that the reason Federal Government did not release the names of persons from whom assets were recovered was to avoid jeopardizing ongoing investigations.

The government at the weekend released a list of sums of monies and assets already recovered in the last one year without the names of individuals involved.

Speaking during a meeting with a delegation of the European Union led by the EU Ambassador in Nigeria, Mr. Michel Arrion, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Osinbajo said that not releasing the names is the best way to go.

In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, Osinbajo said: “We have released the list of recovered loot, we know people are asking for the names, but releasing the names may jeopardize ongoing investigations,”

He also explained that the federal government is engaging leaders and people of the Niger Delta regarding the spate of attacks on oil installations in the area, an act he stated amounts to economic sabotage.

Besides reaching out to the people in the area, he said that the government is also beefing up security in the area.

According to him, the focus of the Buhari presidency “is to ensure that the man on the street in the Niger Delta receives the benefit from all that is available there.”

The Vice President also called on the leaders in the region to be accountable to the people.

Prof. Osinbajo added that government is working round the clock to minimize the losses arising from the attacks.