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Liberian President Joseph Boakai issued an executive order to identify and recover stolen state assets and prosecute complicit current and former officials under a crackdown on corruption launched since his January inauguration.

Wednesday’s order establishes a task force with the legal mandate and state funding to investigate and retrieve wrongfully acquired government assets and seek the extradition of suspects involved, the presidency said in a statement.

It did not name any suspects or estimate the losses to the state, but cited a need to “curtail this alarming menace that has engulfed our country and address the situation of converting public … assets to private use by officials placed in positions of trust.”

Boakai election won on the promise to tackle endemic corruption and improve livelihoods in the West African nation.

In February, Boakai commissioned an audit of three government institutions, including the central bank. Focused on the period from 2018 to 2023, the investigation is due to report its findings within three months.