Highlights of Statement by Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations,
Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, regarding the Abacha Loot.
Saturday 22nd of February, 2020
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Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, regarding the Abacha Loot.
Saturday 22nd of February, 2020
#Thread
The government of President Buhari remained committed to the recovery of whatever funds are owed Nigeria and the government in that regard has gone to court in different countries to assert its rights as victim of corruption in order to have those assets returned to Nigeria.
In the same manner that Nigeria is asserting its rights to the assets, there are others, including individuals, entities and countries who have rights and who have gone to court to contest the legality or otherwise of Nigeria’s claims against their assets.
It is well known that the USA and the Bagudu family have been in court since 2014 over assets already rescinded under the 2003 Agrement. The matters are to be determined in the United Kingdom and the United States Courts.
The Bagudu family assets in contention, which constitute a distinct and separate cause of action, do not have anything to do with the assets already recovered and being recovered under the Abacha 2014 non-prosecution agreement.
It is therefore mischievous and pedestrian for anyone to seek to turn the law and the facts on its head on the matter of repatriation whose terms are clearly spelt out and agreed among the parties.
The government of Nigeria remains fully committed to continued cooperation with the USA and other countries in a reciprocal manner. We urge the media and the general public to wait for the outcome of the court decisions and ongoing settlement efforts in this matter.
