THE Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice,
Mohammed Bello Adoke SAN on Thursday disclosed that the Federal
Government has recovered over N5.5 billion Abacha loot and that
negotiation is almost completed to recover another N36.7 billion from two of
his associates.
Speaking during the 2013 ministerial platform held in Abuja, Adoke said that
the Ministry of Justice had maintained an effective liaison and communication
with targeted jurisdictions to keep pace with asset recovery proceedings in
those jurisdictions.
He added that the close liaison and negotiation with the Island of Jersey
led to the recovery and repatriation of the sum of UK £22.5 million confiscated
by the Royal Court of Jersey from Raj Arjandes Bhojwani, an Indian national and
associate of General Sani Abacha, on account of his money laundering
transactions from Nigeria.
He further stated that there is continued liaison and negotiation with the
Principality of Liechtenstein which recently confisticated the sum of EUR 175
million from the Abacha family and associated companies in Liechtenstein
following a confiscation order by the Supreme Court of Liechtenstein.
He, however, added that the companies involved have lodged an appeal against
the decision before the European Court of Justice in Strasburg stating that as
soon as the appeal is concluded, firm arrangements consistent with the asset
recovery provisions of the United Nations convention against corruption would
be made to repatriate the forfeited sums to Nigeria.
Adoke further stated that the ministry in the discharge of its mandate as
the focal ministry under the United Nations Convention against Corruption, is
in the process of finalising a National Anti Corruption Strategy (NACS), to
fight corruption in the country.
On the campaign against death sentence, the minister reminded
criminal-minded Nigerians that capital punishment was still in force in the
country and that the global campaign against death penalty by the Amnesty
International and other bodies have not metamorphosed into its abolition in the
world.
