US offers to retrieve Nigeria’s stolen funds

As President Muhammadu Buhari arrives the United States to meet with President Barack Obama this week, US officials say that country will offer to help Nigeria’s new leader track down billions of dollars in stolen assets and increase US military assistance to fight the Boko Haram terrorists.

The visit to Washington by President Buhari is viewed by the US administration as a chance to set the seal on improving ties with Africa’s biggest economy, given, that US cooperation with Buhari’s predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, had virtually ground to a halt over issues, including his refusal to investigate corruption and human rights abuses by the Nigerian military.

US Deputy Secretary of State, Tony Blinken, told Reuters that “President (Barack Obama) has long seen Nigeria as arguably the most important strategic country in sub-Saharan Africa. The question is: would there be an opportunity to deepen our engagement? That opportunity is now”.

US officials have said they were willing to send military trainers to help Nigeria counter a six-year-old insurgency by the Boko Haram Islamist movement.

He said since Buhari’s election, Washington has committed $5m in new support to a multi-national task force set up to fight the group. This is in addition to at least $34m it is providing for Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger for equipment and logistics.

Buhari’s move on July 13 to fire military chiefs appointed by Jonathan cleared the way for more military cooperation, US officials said.

“We’ve made it clear. There are additional things that can be done, especially now that there is a new military leadership in place,” a senior US official said.

Buhari has said his priorities were strengthening Nigeria’s economy, which has been hard-hit by the fall in oil prices, boosting investment and tackling ‘the biggest monster of all’ – corruption.

Read also: What I’ll discuss with Obama – Buhari

“Here too, he is looking to deepen collaboration and one of the things he is focused on is asset recovery. He is hopeful we can help them recover some of that,” the official said. “

In 2014, the US took control of more than $480m siphoned away by former military ruler, Sani Abacha, and his associates into banks around the world. Washington has broad powers to track suspicious funds and enforce sanctions against individuals.

President Buhari will be staying at the Blair House in Washington D.C during his US visit, according to the presidency. He will be the first Nigerian president ever to stay in the house which is the US President’s official guest house.

An invitation by a sitting US President to stay in this historic guest house is regarded in America as an honor of highest significance. When visiting leaders reside here, the flags of their nations fly proudly over Blair House, a courtesy that serves as both a gracious welcome and a symbol of the home’s crucial role in diplomatic relations.

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