President Muhammmadu Buhari on Monday said his critics could not accuse him of stealing.

He said he appealed to the integrity of his ministers who, according to him, are in charge.

The president said this at the Presidential Villa in Abuja while hosting a delegation of the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria.

He said “You cannot accuse me of stealing,” he said, adding, “I have appointed ministers and they are in charge. I appeal to their integrity. When they come here (Federal Executive Council) Chambers, we ensure they follow the due process. If I owned an oil well, I would have gone to jail.”

President Buhari said he had no regrets being a person of honesty and integrity.

He said: “I am satisfied with what I am. I am happy I have kept myself and people close to me from benefiting from government contracts,”

He said he did not award contracts and did not care about who got them so long as they did a good job at a cost that is justifiable to the nation.

“I have been in many places including (Ministry of) Petroleum. I would have gone to jail if I had taken an oil well. For integrity and honesty, I have no regrets. By this, I have contributed to my social safety. I won’t go to jail.”