US, Nigeria team up to help citizens report corruption

LAGOS, Nigeria – The United States government is teaming up with Nigerian groups to launch a web-based platform allowing people to report everyday corruption in Africa’s populous nation.

Graft is widespread and sometimes spectacular in Nigeria, and President Muhammadu Buhari took office in 2015 vowing to eradicate it. He warned that “if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.”

Earlier this year, more than $43 million in cash was found in a Lagos apartment and forfeited to the federal government.

Now Nigerian non-governmental organizations have created the “Report Yourself” platform with support from the U.S. State Department and local law enforcement agencies.

Police say citizens will be able to report graft via text message as well.

Platform designer Oluseun Onigbinde says Nigerians find corruption everywhere and it has “robbed us of prestige.”