$550m Abacha loot: Fed Govt set to clear hurdles

To repatriate $550million loot traced to ex-Head of State Gen. Sani Abacha, the Federal Government is to resolve two legal hurdles in the United States.

The hurdles are: an application filed before a court by Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu and his wife; and an action by a United States lawyer, Godson Nnaka, who is fighting to have part of the money.

Besides, the government is seeking “political solutions” to the conditions set by the Swiss government for accessing the loot, The Nation learnt yesterday.

The Swiss government would like to monitor what Nigeria does with the loot, a development which the Federal Government considers as an affront on the country’s sovereignty.

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Acting Chair Ibrahim Magu, who returned from the US on Sunday, were said to have made progress in “negotiating the last phase of the process for the release of the $550million”.

Pending legal cases in the U.S. by the two Nigerians and the conditions attached to the use of the loot have caused the delay in repatriating the $550million loot.
The Nation, April 4, 2017

 

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