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Tag: Sani Abacha

  • What we know about return of Abacha’s $308 million loot

    What we know about return of Abacha’s $308 million loot

    As Jersey, Nigeria and the United States of America concluded plans to return over US$308 million in confiscated funds to Nigerians in a landmark agreement, here is everything we know.

    On Monday, 3 February 2020, the Government of Jersey, the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Government of the United States of America entered into an Asset Recovery Agreement to repatriate over US$308 million of forfeited assets to Nigeria.

    The funds were laundered through the US banking system and then held in bank accounts in Jersey in the name of Doraville Properties Corporation, a BVI company, and in the name of the son of the former Head of State of Nigeria, General Sani Abacha.

    In 2014 a U.S. Federal Court in Washington DC forfeited the money as property involved in the illicit laundering of the proceeds of corruption arising in Nigeria during the period from 1993 to 1998 when General Abacha was Head of State.

    This case is a result of extensive co-operation between the Jersey authorities, the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with crucial assistance from other governments around the world.

    At the time the case was filed as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative in 2013, it was the largest U.S. kleptocracy forfeiture action ever commenced.

    In 2014 the Attorney General of Jersey applied for, and was granted, a Property Restraint Order over the Jersey bank account balance of Doraville. This was challenged in the Royal Court of Jersey and Court of Appeal, and an application for permission to appeal to the Privy Council by Doraville was refused. France and the United Kingdom restrained additional funds at U.S. request.

    General Abacha and his associates stole and laundered many hundreds of millions of dollars of public money during his military regime, doing vast harm to the futures of his own people.

    The monies were laundered by his family, including his sons Ibrahim and Mohammed, and a number of close associates. The laundering operation extended to the United States and European jurisdictions such as the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Lichtenstein and Luxembourg.

    In 2018, Governments of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, United States of America and the Bailiwick of Jersey commenced the negotiation of the procedures for the repatriation, transfer, disposition and management of the assets.

    The tripartite agreement signed this week represents a major watershed in international cooperation in asset recovery and repatriation, and will provide benefit to people throughout Nigeria.

    The projects on which the funds will be expended will be administered by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority and independently audited. The Federal Republic of Nigeria will establish a Monitoring Team to oversee the implementation of the projects and to report regularly on progress.

    The Nigerian government, in consultation with the other Parties, will also engage Civil Society Organisations, who have expertise in substantial infrastructure projects, civil engineering, anti-corruption compliance, anti-human trafficking compliance, and procurement to provide additional monitoring and oversight.

    The Solicitor General and Attorney General designate of Jersey, Mark Temple QC, who signed the Agreement on behalf of Jersey, commented:

    “This Agreement represents the culmination of two decades of intensive work by Law Officers in Jersey, the United States and Nigeria. The return of the assets to Nigeria had been delayed by a number of hard-fought challenges by third parties which were defeated in the Courts in Jersey and the United States.

    “The Agreement establishes a framework based on fruitful co-operation, trust and respect so that the forfeited funds can be repatriated to benefit the people of Nigeria, from whom they had been taken. The use of the funds will be subject to monitoring and reporting obligations.

    “This is a very significant achievement, and, once again, demonstrates Jersey’s commitment to tackling international financial crime and money laundering.”

    Jersey’s Minister for External Relations, Senator Ian Gorst, said:

    “Since becoming aware that the alleged proceeds of Abacha corruption and money laundering had passed through Jersey financial institutions, the Jersey authorities have done everything within their power to investigate what happened and to return the money to its rightful owners, the people of Nigeria.

    “I would like to offer my sincere thanks and appreciation to the dedicated team within the Law Officers’ Department, and their colleagues in United States and Nigeria. Their excellent level of cooperation in the fight against corruption, at domestic and international levels, should be an example for other jurisdictions to follow.

    “As a leading international finance centre with an effective and robust regulatory regime, Jersey has a responsibility to firmly address any instances of alleged money laundering and corruption. Our commitment to seeing these funds repatriated has led to a positive outcome for the people of Nigeria, has established lasting partnerships and given us a pioneering role in asset-recovery that is based on the principles of national interest, trust and mutual respect.”

    Deputy Assistant Attorney Brian Benczkowski announced the agreement on behalf of the United States and stated:

    “The Department is pleased to enter into this agreement with The Bailiwick of Jersey and the Federal Republic of Nigeria to return this enormous amount of stolen funds for the benefit of the people harmed by the corruption in Nigeria.

    “Through the recovery of these funds — and this mutual agreement — the people of Nigeria can see the money they lost to corruption in flagrant disregard of the rule of law is returned through a lawful process, and in a manner that ensures transparent and accountable use of the funds.

    “This is a major achievement. It also stands as a clear statement of our commitment to safeguard the United States from those who seek to launder the proceeds of corruption through the abuse of our financial system.”

    Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Nigeria who signed on behalf of the Nigerian government noted that this agreement has “culminated in a major victory, for Nigeria and other African countries as it recognizes that crime does not pay and that it is important for the international community to seek for ways to support sustainable development through the recovery and repatriation of stolen assets”.

    He noted further that “without the commitment of the three parties to the Agreement (Nigeria, Jersey and the United States) and that of the legal experts and Attorneys representing Nigeria, it would have been impossible to achieve the success recorded today”.

    Mr. Malami, also stated that “As you are aware, the government of Nigeria has committed that the assets will support and assist in expediting the construction of the three major infrastructure projects across Nigeria – namely Lagos – Ibadan expressway, Abuja – Kano express way and the second Niger bridge.

    “These projects currently been executed under the supervision of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) as a public private partnership (PPP) will boost economic growth and help alleviate poverty by connecting people and supply chains from the East to the West and to the Northern part of Nigeria, a vast area covering several kilometers with millions of the country’s population set to benefit from the road infrastructures.”

    He urged for greater cooperation and mutual respect amongst countries in the implementation of expeditious cooperation measures already set out in the United Nations Convention Against Corruption and in the implementation of the GFAR principles on the repatriation of stolen assets.

    He called for civil society organizations and the Nigerian public to be involved in the monitoring of the implementation of the key infrastructure projects that will greatly enhance road transportation in Nigeria.

  • Switzerland returned $322.5m Abacha loot with interest – Envoy

    Switzerland said it has returned all the money kept in the country by late Nigeria’s Head of State Gen. Sani Abacha, with 1.5 million dollars interest.

    Amb. Pio Wennubst, Assistant Director-General and Head, Global Cooperation Department, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, told the Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York.

    Wennubst said Switzerland returned about 322.5 million dollars (N116.11 billion) to the Federal Government.

    According to him, the original amount was 321 million dollars.

    The Federal Government had announced receipt of 322.51 million from the Swiss government as part of the looted funds recovered from the late former Head of State.

    The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, through her Special Adviser, Media and Communications, Oluyinka Akintunde, had confirmed the receipt of money from Switzerland.

    Akintunde said: “We state that $322,515,931.83 (N116,105,735,458.80) was received into a Special Account in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Dec. 18, 2017, from the Swiss government’’.

    Confirming this, Wennubst said: “We returned 321 million dollars including the interests.

    “We return all the amount, 322.5 million dollars including the interest for the time that the funds were blocked’’.

    The Swiss envoy also said that the money was returned to the Nigerian Government unconditionally.

    “We are not talking about the condition; there was a programme on the social safety net that was developed by the Government of Nigeria and the Bank.

    “After discussing, the only condition, set by the judiciary, not by us, was that the return of this asset should have been monitored by the World Bank and this is where we worked on’’.

    According to him, these funds were part of the Nigerian Government contributions to the social safety net programme, “plus concessional loans from the Bank”.

    NAN recalls that the ‘Abacha loot’ was frozen in 2014 by a Swiss court after a legal procedure against his son, Abba Abacha.

    Originally deposited in Luxembourg, the money was a fraction of the billions of dollars allegedly looted during his rule from 1993 to 1998.

    Similarly, the UK Government also pledged its commitment to ensuring that money and other assets illegally transferred from Nigeria are repatriated back to the country.

    Mr Nick Dyer, Director General, Economic Development and International, UK Department for International Development told NAN that assets return would contribute to the development of the origin countries.

    Dyer said it was an important part of the development process to identify how and where assets were going astray and to also recover them and send them back.

    NAN

  • How former Head of State almost killed me – Pastor Adeboye


    The General Overseer (G. O.) of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has revealed pointers that former military Head of State, late General Sani Abacha made an attempt to assassinate him, but ended up dying.

    The G. O. of the RCCG, who also revealed he once asked God to kill him, made this revelation Friday night of the just concluded 2016 Holy Ghost Congress of the RCCG themed ‘Complete Restoration’ held at the RCCG’s 3 kilometres by 3 kilometres Redemption Camp, Ogun state, Nigeria.

    Pastor Adeboye said, “You will remember those of you, who know the details; Nigeria was living under a siege at a particular time. There was a reign of terror by a military president who wanted to transform to a civilian president”.

    “In the process of trying to realize his ambition, his herbalist told him that this plan cannot come to pass because of a certain man who is praying at a place called Camp and that unless you remove that man your plan won’t work,” he added.

    The G. O. continued his narration saying that, “And so information came to me that they are coming for me and in those days when they come for you that is the end of the story”.

    “As an ordinary human being when I heard that I was troubled. I didn’t tell my wife but I stepped out for my prayer walk but it wasn’t an ordinary prayer walk that day”.

    “We all know how the case ended. On Tuesday, he died and Nigerians shouted happy New Year,” Pastor Adeboye said.

    Although the cleric did not exactly mention the name of the former Head of State he was referring to, both forensic and political analysts have said he was referring to late General Sani Abacha.

    The analysts have said the only former Head of State closed to the description of Pastor Adeboye who made frantic efforts to retain leadership of the nation Nigeria to become a civilian president at the dawn of democracy, was late Sani Abacha.

    Sani Abacha, whose death news broke on a Tuesday morning in 1998 with jubilations at every quarter of the country, was a Nigerian former Head of State who many, both local and foreign political experts adjudged a terror.

    Abacha was reported to have assassinated anyone who opposed him. Those who opposed him were reported to have survived only out of some divine intervention.

    Pastor Adeboye said, “When you read 2 Chronicles 20:1-25, you will see the example of victory without a fight in the life of Jehoshaphat”. He said ‘victory without a fight’ is what the bible, the holy book for Christians, refers to when it said in Romans 8:37 that “…we are more than conquerors,” inferring it was by divine intervention he survived the scare of late General Sani Abacha.

    The one week long Holy Ghost Congress, which began on Monday, December 5 and ended Saturday, December 10 2016, was a gathering of millions of worshipers from all over the world.

    The Congress was well attended by top government officials including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and his wife, Oludolapo; Governor of Lagos State, Akinwumi Ambode and his wife, Bolanle; Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko and his wife Olukemi; Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Kola Oluwawole and the Chief Judge of South Africa, Mogoeng Mogoeng.

    Also present at the Congress were anointed men of God including Rev. Dr. Felix Omobude, Bishop Mike Okonkwo, Pastor John Watson, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo, and Pastor Stephen Rathod.