Arrest 350 Nigerians owing N5.8trn bank debts, NLC urges FG

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday called for the urgent arrest and prosecution of those who borrowed from the nation’s banks without repayment.
President of the Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who spoke at a lecture in honour of the General Secretary of NLC, Dr Peter Ozo-Eson who recently clocked 70, said it was unfortunate that despite the enormous resources in the country, many people go to bed hungry.
He said rather than government talking about borrowing money to finance the budget, they should go after about 350 Nigerians that borrowed about N5.8 trillion without paying back.
According to him, the Nigerian worker would continue to demand for the right policies that will ensure progress and development in the country.
“The system has become less accommodating for the interest and rights of the citizens. If not, how can 350 Nigerians out of almost 200 million people be allowed to borrow N5.8 trillion from our banks which they could not pay. In fact, that money is enough to fund both recurrent budget of 2017 and 2018.
“There is no situation that should warrant this. It is hard earned money of the people that was used to salvage those banks, yet that money is in the hand of only 350 people and yet we are lamenting that there is no money and yet this money cannot be recovered from them.
“We must work together and not allow these few swallow what belong to all of us. We will continue to challenge and be on the streets. But importantly, we must realise where the challenges lies. Therefore, I urge government to do everything possible to recover that money because Nigerians will not sympathise with any person who has borrowed that money and still living in their comfort zone.
“They should be arrested and that money should be recovered because it is our common wealth. We cannot continue to subsidise for the rich. There is no reason why we should go borrowing money when that money is there lying fallow”.