Senator Ali Ndume has expressed concern about the alarming rate of corruption in Nigeria, labelling it as one of the country’s most significant challenges.

He made these remarks during a media session in Kano on Saturday, where he highlighted the urgent need for stronger measures to tackle the issue.

Ndume pointed out that, despite widespread recognition of the problem, Nigeria still lacks effective laws to address corruption, both proactively and reactively.

“Corruption is our biggest challenge. We don’t have laws that can deal with it properly,” he said.

He further noted that it is rare to find individuals, particularly in politics or government, who are not involved in corrupt practices.

“If someone in our system isn’t corrupt, it’s because they are fortunate enough to be God-fearing,” he remarked.

He lamented the culture of impunity, where individuals who engage in corrupt practices not only evade punishment but are often celebrated.

“In Nigeria, people steal money, walk freely, and are even revered for it.

It’s common for people to bow before someone they know is corrupt just to gain favours,” Ndume said.

He described how the sudden accumulation of wealth often goes unquestioned, with many people turning a blind eye when someone, who had no money last week, suddenly acquires multiple cars or private jets.

In contrast to Nigeria, Ndume explained that in developed countries, such drastic changes in lifestyle would raise suspicions.

“In other places, they would ask how you made such money, when, and from where, but here, no one seems to care,” he said.

The senator revealed that he had made several attempts to introduce a bill aimed at addressing unexplained wealth, but these efforts have been unsuccessful.

He shared that he had approached a former Head of State, requesting the signing of an Executive Bill to combat corruption, but his plea was turned down.

“There’s still no law on unexplained wealth in Nigeria, and no Executive Order to address it,” Ndume added.

Aside from corruption, Ndume also voiced his concerns about the widespread hunger in the country, emphasizing the underutilization of Nigeria’s vast agricultural potential.

He pointed out that only a small portion of Nigeria’s arable land is currently being cultivated.

“Despite the abundance of fertile land, we’ve only cultivated less than five per cent.

This land could feed the entire nation,” he stressed. Ndume called for a renewed focus on increasing food production to address the hunger crisis.

In his remarks, the senator underscored the urgent need for both legal reforms and a stronger agricultural sector to address the nation’s challenges.

He warned that unless these issues are tackled head-on, the future of the country could remain bleak.