NIGERIA TO 'NAME CORRUPT LEADERS'!

$400bn is said to have been stolen. Nigeria's anti-corruption agency says it will publish the names of all past and present political leaders who have stolen money from the treasury. The head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, said more than $400bn (£211) of oil revenue had been stolen. He also said the move would deter corrupt politicians from seeking office in elections due next year.

Nigeria has been regarded as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. "Over $400bn in oil money has been stolen by bad leaders," Mr Ribadu said at a lecture in Lagos, quoted by This Day newspaper. "We are going to trace the activities of past and present leaders and publish the names of those leaders who have laundered money, their accounts and the names of the banks where the money is being kept.

"We will also close the accounts of those politicians who have laundered money and converted it for their political ambitions. This will stop bad people from coming into power," he said. He promised the commission would monitor closely the use of revenue allocated to the three levels of government - federal, state and local - to ensure the money was not laundered.

President Olusegun Obasanjo created the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in 2002 by to try to stamp out corruption.

BBC NEWS REPORT.