Abuja, January 19 (RHC)-- Fifty-five Nigerians, including former ministers, governors, business leaders and public officials, have stolen nine billion dollars in public funds in seven years, according to the country's information minister.

Addressing reporters at a Monday press conference in the Nigerian capital Abuja, Lai Mohammed said that the money was stolen between 2006 and 2013, without identifying the accused. The looted funds could have built 36 hospitals or educated 4,000 children through university, Mohammed said.

The minister also appealed to Nigerians to join the fight against corruption that is crippling Africa's biggest economy, population and oil producer. He said: "If we don't kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria."

According to Mohammed, the stolen money included USD 2.1 billion meant to buy weapons to fight the Boko Haram terrorist group, but instead was diverted to the election campaign of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Jonathan lost the March 2015 presidential election to Muhammadu Buhari, who has promised to halt corruption and end the Boko Haram militancy.