US Signs Agreement With Nigeria To Return $23m Abacha Loot

The Federal Government signed an agreement with the United States of America, USA, for the repatriation of the sum of $23 million, that was allegedly looted by the late former military Head of State, General Sani Abacha.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday at the office of Abubakar Malami, minister of justice and attorney-general of the federation.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), signed the agreement on behalf of the Federal Government, while the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, signed for the government of the United States.

The AGF, Malami, SAN, said decision to return the stolen loot which he tagged as Abacha-5, was a product of a series of negotiations and meetings between Nigeria, the US Department of Justice, and the UK National Crime Agency, NCA.

“It is worthy to note that in line with the terms of this Agreement, Mr. President had already approved the funds to be utilized for the ongoing Presidential Development Infrastructural Funds, PIDF, projects namely; Abuja-Kano Road, Lagos-Ibadan Express Way, and the Second Niger Bridge under the supervision of Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority, NSIA

“The President’s mandate to my office is to ensure that all international recoveries are transparently invested and monitored by civil society organizations to compete for these three projects within the agreed timeline”, Malami stated.