British Prime Minister David Cameron was caught on camera describing Nigeria and Afghanistan as being ‘fantastically corrupt’.
The PM had been speaking ahead of today’s anti-corruption summit with more than 40 countries to be represented in London for talks on tackling global corruption.
Cameron has been accused of ‘encouraging’ endemic corruption in Nigeria by allowing cash creamed off government projects to be pumped into British banks, luxury homes, car dealerships and private schools.
British Prime Minister tells the Queen on ‘fantastically corrupt’ countries and includes Nigeria
Nigerian leaders responded by demanding Cameron return billions of pounds stolen by crooked officials and laundered in Britain with ‘no questions asked’. It’s understood that the two states, whose presidents will attend today’s summit, receive £435million a year from British taxpayers.
President Buhari was asked about Cameron’s comments as he attended the start of the conference, he said: ‘I am not going to demand any apology from anybody. What I am demanding is the return of the assets.’
According to reports, about 40 civil groups in Nigeria sent a letter to Cameron ahead of the conference warning that efforts to fight corruption within Nigeria were undermined by the failure to tackle laundering in the UK. Cameron was also accused by Nigerian senator Dino Melaye of being ‘deeply offensive’ and demanded a crackdown on the UK’s role as a ‘safe haven’ to launder stolen cash. Melaye told Daily Mail:
‘We want an apology from Mr Cameron. His reckless and demeaning statement has insulted the integrity of our country.
‘It allows people to steal from our economy then warehouse it in the United Kingdom. Money is also put into luxury homes and other forms, with no questions asked.’
Senator Melaye also added that the amount of stolen cash laundered in the UK ‘runs to billions of pounds’.
The chairman of Nigeria’s senate committee on anti-corruption, Chukwuka Utazi, said: ‘As long as the criminals steal and Britain is ready to take the proceeds it will continue.’
It’s understood that Cameron will today call for a ‘truly global solution’ to the ‘evil of corruption’.
Meanwhile, watch the video below and know what Buhari said to Sky News’ Diplomatic Editor Dominic Waghorn when asked whether his country was corrupt.
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