Nigeria probes Siemens bribery claims

ABUJA – Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua has ordered an investigation into allegations that German telecommunications giant Siemens AG paid bribes to some former Nigerian ministers to win contracts here.

“The President has directed all the relevant security agencies to thoroughly investigate the allegations and take appropriate legal actions against anybody implicated in corrupt practices,” said presidential spokesman Olusegun Adeniyi in a statement received Monday. “In this Siemens scandal, as in all cases that border on good governance and transparency, there will neither be sacred cows nor a cover up for anybody found culpable of breaching the law,” the statement said.The Wall Street Journal Europe reported on its website Saturday that Siemens paid about US$17,5 million in bribes to government and industry officials in Nigeria, Russia and Libya in a bid to win contracts.Using documents released last month by a court in Munich, the newspaper published a list of alleged recipients of 77 bribes from the three countries, detailing how much money went to each of the officials.The court document seen by The Journal indicated that about 10 million euros went to Nigerians.Nampa-AFP”In this Siemens scandal, as in all cases that border on good governance and transparency, there will neither be sacred cows nor a cover up for anybody found culpable of breaching the law,” the statement said.The Wall Street Journal Europe reported on its website Saturday that Siemens paid about US$17,5 million in bribes to government and industry officials in Nigeria, Russia and Libya in a bid to win contracts.Using documents released last month by a court in Munich, the newspaper published a list of alleged recipients of 77 bribes from the three countries, detailing how much money went to each of the officials.The court document seen by The Journal indicated that about 10 million euros went to Nigerians.Nampa-AFP