The Federal Government on Wednesday said it supported the United States’
seizure of $550m corruption proceeds of a former Head of State, the
late Gen. Sani Abacha and his associates.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr.
Mohammed Adoke, SAN, who stated this in a statement in Abuja said that the
Federal Government would ensure the repatriation of the money to Nigeria.
He stated, “As the central authority for the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, my office has received requests for Mutual Legal Assistance for the
Central Authority of the United States and we are cooperating with the United
States in line with the obligations we assumed under the Treaty on Mutual Legal
Assistance in Criminal Matters.
“The overall objective of these efforts is to ensure that Nigeria as the
victim state is able to have the forfeited assets (money) repatriated to
Nigeria to fund development projects for the benefit of the people in
accordance with the dictates of Chapter IV of the United Nations Convention
against corruption. Let me assure you that Nigeria as State Party to UNCAC will
do all that is required to realise this objective.”
The US government had, a few days ago, formally written the
Federal Government for assistance to serve forfeiture notice on Abacha’s son,
Mohammed; and an associate of the late dictator, Atiku Bagudu.
The defendants were given up till March 25, 2014 to file an application
before the US District Court for Columbia to either set aside the forfeiture
order or vary it
Among others, the defendants forfeited over $550m and £95,910m in 10
accounts and six investment portfolios linked to the Abachas in France, the
Britain, British Virgin Island and the United States, under the US
Kleptomaniac Asset Recovery
Adoke, in the statement, said, “The Federal Government of Nigeria
welcomes the forfeiture proceedings initiated by the United States Department
of Justice against the property related to the corrupt conduct of late General
Sani Abacha, the former head of state of Nigeria, and His Associates and the
subsequent laundering of corruption proceeds.
“The proceedings will make it possible for the defendants to forfeit
over $550million and £95,910 in 10 accounts and six investment portfolios
linked to the Abachas in France, the Britain, British Virgin Islands and the
United States.”
The minister said that the Federal Government applauded the American
government’s move to recover the proceeds of corruption for
the benefit of the people of Nigeria.
The US government had on March 5, 2014 ordered a freeze of assets stolen
by the former dictator and his accomplices.
According to a civil forfeiture complaint unsealed in the US District
Court in Washington, the department wants to recover more than $550m in connection
with the action.
“This is the largest civil forfeiture action to recover the proceeds of
foreign official corruption ever brought by the department,” said Mythili
Raman, acting assistant attorney general
The US Justice Department had said the frozen assets, along with
additional assets named in the complaint, represented the “proceeds of
corruption” during and after the military regime of Abacha, who became Head of
State through a military coup on November 17, 1993 and held that office until
his death on June 8, 1998.
The complaint had alleged that Abacha; his associate, Bagudu, and
others “embezzled, misappropriated and extorted billions from the government of
Nigeria and others, then laundered their criminal proceeds through the purchase
of bonds backed by the United States using US financial institutions.”