The United States government has signed an undertaking to repatriate over $23 million of the Sani Abacha loot to Nigeria. It signed a fresh agreement with Nigeria on Tuesday to refund the funds to Nigeria.

It would be recalled that General Sani Abacha was Nigeria’s military dictator from 17 November 1993 to 8 June 1998 when he died in mysterious circumstances.

With the latest agreement, the US would have repatriated $335 million Abacha loot to Nigeria in the last two years.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami SAN represented the Federal Government at the agreement signing ceremony held at the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja, while U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Leonard, signed on behalf of her country.

Speaking after signing the agreement, Malami said the decision to return the fresh tranche totalling $23,439,724, which he termed ‘Abacha-5’, “was a product of series of tripartite negotiations between Nigeria, the U.S. Department of Justice and the UK National Crime Agency (NCA).

He said: “It is worthy to note that in line with the terms of this Agreement, Mr. President had already approved the funds to be utilised for the ongoing Presidential Development Infrastructural Funds (PDIF) projects namely: Abuja-Kano Road, Lagos-Ibadan Express Way and the Second Niger Bridge under the supervision of Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).

“The President’s mandate to my office is to ensure that all international recoveries are transparently invested and monitored by civil society organization to complete these three projects within the agreed timeline”, he further said.

Malami recalled the various efforts of the Nigerian government since 2016 to recover the assets.

“You may all recall that since 2016, the Federal Ministry of Justice, the NCA and the U.S. Ministry of Justice have been working closely with the legal representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to finalize litigations related to Abacha linked assets.

“Further to the agreement between the parties, the UK High Court granted the NCA a Registration and Recovery Order, dated 28 July 2021 and sealed by the court on 4 August 2021.

“The forfeited Mecosta/Sani assets were subsequently transferred to the NCA which, on 7th of February 2022 held $23,439,724 pending the execution of the asset return agreement agreed between the FRN (Federal Republic of Nigeria) and the USA.

“Following the court order, the FRN and the USA have negotiated and finalised the terms of the asset return agreement”, Malami explained.

A major condition for repatriating the looted assets is that the Nigerian government must deploy the funds in funding infrastructure.

“It is worthy to note that, in line with the terms of this agreement, Mr. President has already approved the funds to be utilised for the on-going PDIF projects, namely Abuja-Kano Road, Lagos-lbadan Express Way and the Second Niger Bridge under the supervision of the NSIA,” Malami said.

He urged the US government to support Nigeria in the efficient and transparent utilisation of the returned funds.

“As partners in the global effort to promote an effective implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, and against the background of constrained economic resources, I urge you to support us in meeting these critical priorities of the FRN by working with us to finish the projects already agreed under the 2020 tripartite agreement among Nigeria, USA, and the Bailiwick of Jersey for the benefit of Nigeria and its citizens”, the Minister said.

 The U.S. Ambassador disclosed that the $23.4 million brings it to over $334.7m so far repatriated to Nigeria in the Abacha loot.

She expressed her gratitude for representing the U.S. “to finalise the agreement for the repatriation of approximately $23 million worth of additional assets stolen by former dictator, Sani Abacha and his associates from the Nigerian people and will be returned to the Nigerian people”.

She restated her country’s resolve to tackle money laundering.

“The U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized these funds in response to General Abacha and his associates’ violation of US laws when they laundered these assets through the US and into accounts in the United Kingdom.

“These actions were flagrant breach of the Nigerian people’s trust, but today is the result of an extensive and high-level corporation between the U.S., the UK and the Federal Republic of Nigeria to make the Nigerian people whole.

“This agreement is also a kind of collaboration that our government must continue in order to right the wrongs committed under the previous regimes, combined with a $311.7m seized and repatriated with the assistance of the Bailiwick of Jersey and the government of Nigeria in 2020.

“This repatriation brings to the total amount of funds repatriated in this case by the US to more than $334.7 million.

“As a result of today’s agreement, $23m will be transferred to the Nigerian Government, which through the NSIA will use the funds to continue the construction of three key infrastructural projects located in strategic economic zones throughout the country- the secondNiger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Abuja-Kano Road.

“In other words, these recovered criminal proceeds, like the $311.7 million previously seized and repatriated, will be transformed into visible and impactful representation of the possibilities of government assets that directly improve the lives of average Nigerians.

“The U. S. government is keenly aware of the devastating impact corruption has on societies. Corruption erodes trust and the ability of governments to deliver to their citizens.

“It distorts the economies and access to key services. It hinders development, pushes citizens towards extremism and makes countries and their officials susceptible to malicious foreign interference.

“It is in recognition of the role corruption plays in undermining democracy that the US considers the fight against corruption as a core national security interest.

“U.S. law enforcement will continue to deny safe-heavens for corrupt actors and their assets.

“Our agreement today also serves to reaffirm the important role Nigerian Civil Society plays in combating corruption.

“Among other things, it provides for both independent auditor as well as independent CSO monitor within Nigeria to track the expenditure of these recovered funds.

“As a partner, deeply interested in Nigeria’s success, we will continue to do our part to facilitate the recovery and return of the proceeds of corruption to the Nigerian people”, Leonard explained.

Picture Credit: The Punch