The Federal Government on Wednesday expressed happiness with the plan of by the United States Department of Justice to institute property-related forfeiture proceedings against late Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Armed Forces, General Sani Abacha.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria welcomes the forfeiture proceedings initiated 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”, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke wrote in a statement.
“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”.
On behalf of the Federal Government, he applaud the efforts of the United States to recover the proceeds of corruption for the benefit of Nigerians, saying that as the Central Authority for the Federal Republic of Nigeria, his office has received requests for Mutual Legal Assistance for the Central Authority of the United States and it is cooperating with the United States in line with the obligations 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 (UNCAC). Let me assure you that Nigeria as State Party to UNCAC will do all that is required to realize this objective”, he added.
Earlier in March, the United States released a 42-page document detailing the scale, spread and ruthlessness with which the late dictator — in collusion with his associates — stole billions of dollars from Nigeria during his military presidency.
Tendered at the United States District Court for the District of Columbia by the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, Criminal Division of the United States Department of Justice, the document also implicated late son of the ruler, Ibrahim Abacha; his second son, Mohammed Abacha, his associate, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; former National Security Adviser (NSA), Ismaila Gwarzo; associate of the Abacha family, Alhaji Ahmadu Daura; then Minister of Finance, Chief Anthony Ani; lawyer and associate of the Abacha family; David Umaru in the use of phony companies to divert state funds running into several billions of dollars into their private accounts in-country and overseas.
