I don’t need British PM Cameron’s apology – President Buhari

I don’t need British PM Cameron’s apology – President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari says he does not want an apology from UK Prime Minister David Cameron for describing Nigeria as a “fantastically corrupt” country.

Mr. Cameron was caught on camera describing Nigeria and Afghanistan as being amongst the most corrupt countries in the world.

Mr. Cameron was speaking to the British Queen, Elizabeth II, ahead an anti-corruption summit taking place in London on Tuesday.

The Nigerian presidency said in an earlier statement that it was “embarrassed” by the comments.

Speaking at the venue of the conference, the BBC quoted Mr. Buhari as personally saying instead of an apology that he would want the repatriation of assets stashed in the UK by corrupt Nigerians.

“No. I am not going to demand any apology from anybody. What I am demanding is the return of assets,” he said.

The Nigerian president also said he had already “mentioned how Britain really led and how disgraceful one of the Nigerian executives was”.

Referring to a former governor of oil rich Bayelsa state, late Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who fled Britain in controversial circumstances after being arrested on corruption allegations, Mr. Buhari said Mr. Alamieyeseigha “had to dress like a woman to leave Britain and leave behind him his bank account and fixed assets, which Britain is prepared to hand over to us. This is what I am asking for”.

“What would I do with an apology? I need something tangible,” he said.

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