The US is claiming $300 m Abacha loot because it was saved in its currency

The US allegedly told a court in an unnamed foreign country that it had an interest in the loot because it was saved in its currency, the US dollar. The claim was made by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) and human rights activist Mr Femi Falana (SAN) during a seminar in Lagos.

The seminar, with the theme: “Promoting Transparency and Accountability in the Recovery of Stolen Assets in Nigeria: Proposals for Reform”, was organised in collaboration with the Ford Foundation, USA.

Falana also accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) of failing to remit over $21.7 billion since 1999.

Malami who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on White Collar Crimes, Mr Abiodun Aikomo, hinted of the US’ involvement in the case while condemning public officials who ferry their loot abroad.

He said: “We have seen instances where the Federal Government of Nigeria engaged counsel to recover our stolen assets and the matter went on for many years.

“On the eve of a judgment, the government of a country filed an application for joinder. This was a matter that was on for seven years and judgment was going to be delivered the next day.

“The government of the country filed, saying ‘Even though the money is not kept in our bank, even though you would think we do not have any connection with the funds, the money is in our currency and we are talking about hundreds of millions in our currency. So, if you’re moving those funds from our state, then we are interested.

“That was how the judgment was more or less arrested. So, the people stealing money and taking it out of Nigeria are doing us a lot of evil, because the moment the money leaves Nigeria it assumes another dimension.”

But Falana, was more open in his accusations of western countries specifically, US, UK Switzerland in delaying the return of the fund. Hee said,

“Nigeria traced part of the Abacha loot (over $300m) to Jersey, an island in the United Kingdom. The Attorney-General filed a process to - by the way I was in that country when the person was convicted. The money left Nigeria through Kenya and landed in Jersey. It was from the late Abacha.

“Nigeria wanted to collect the remaining loot. But the United States filed an objection, saying the money could not be released to Nigeria.

“The court asked why; the US said if the money must be released, it should be released to the US government, so that ‘we can manage it for Nigeria.

“The other one, $321million, Switzerland, a notorious conduit for corruption, had the temerity to say that ‘unless the World Bank is going to manage this money, we are not going to release this money.’”

He further urged the Federal Government not to depend on the West in its loot recovery drive.

“The United Nations Convention Against Corruption has made adequate provisions against corruption, mandating countries to assist each other but western countries have not been helping us. Our government should stop relying on the west.”

Other guests at the event included Amnesty International Country Director Mrs Osai Ojigho; Department for International Development (DFID)’s Sonia Warner and Ford Foundation’s Ms Eva Kouka and Ms Linda Ochiel, among others.

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