Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has urged President Bola Tinubu to grant amnesty to people accused of looting public funds if they return the money within two years. The former Abia State governor said the move would help recover billions of naira allegedly hidden across the country. He added that the recovered funds would support Nigeria’s economy.
Kalu made the appeal during an interview on News Central TV’s 60 Minutes With Mr Kay. He claimed many people kept large sums of money in private homes instead of the banking system.
Kalu proposes two-year amnesty
The senator urged the Federal Government to introduce a two-year amnesty window. He said the programme would allow people accused of diverting public funds to return the money without prosecution. Kalu argued that returning the funds would improve liquidity in the banking sector and strengthen the economy.
He said:
“President Tinubu should give people pardon, because between the houses in Abuja, if you search all the houses, you might have over 50, 60 billion lying down there.
“People who keep money in their houses, and it’s not right; it’s not the right thing to do. It’s not in the banking system. It’s not in the banking system that could have helped this economy to grow.
“So I would like President Tinubu to give a window of two years and say, no matter from 1960, no matter where you keep the money, return it to Nigeria, nobody will touch you. You are pardoned.
“So let people repatriate this money and use it for the benefit of this economy.”
Kalu says hidden funds should support the economy
Kalu said money kept in private homes does not support economic growth. According to him, the funds remain outside the banking system instead of contributing to economic activities. He also said a presidential pardon would encourage people to return the funds voluntarily. He added that the government could then use the recovered money to support national development.
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