Why $322.5 Abacha loot is disbursed to poorest Nigerians ― AGF

THE Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, has said the decision to disbursed the $322.5 million repatriated Abacha loot to poorest Nigerians was to ensure that those who are the ultimate victims of corruption benefit from the fund.

He spoke at the interactive session with an alliance of Civil Society Organisations advocating for the passage of the Proceeds of Crime Bill, on Monday in Abuja.

He said repatriation and recovery of assets was one part of the coin, saying the significant thing was to ensure that the recovered assets were utilised in a manner that is of optimal benefit to the ordinary people of Nigeria.

“It is in the light of this that government, working with its international partners, agreed to the use of the 322.5 million dollars recovered from Switzerland for the Cash Transfer programme, which is targeted at the poorest Nigerians amongst us,” he said.

AGF whose speech was read by Mrs Ladidi Mohammed, the Director, Asset Recovery and Management Unit, said he was glad that the civil society organizations were actively involved in the monitoring of the process to ensure that it goes on properly and with integrity.

He said the current administration was committed to enacting the Proceeds of Crime Act, which is currently before the National Assembly as a Bill.

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Malami said President Muhammadu Buhari has equally directed him to take all necessary steps to ensure the transparent and accountable recovery and management of assets that have been recovered during his tenure.

Executive Director of Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Reverend David Ugolor, in his remark, called on President Buhari to put in place an Executive Order on Asset Recovery and management to help boost asset recovery and management regime in the country.

He also called on the National Assembly to ensure quick passage of the Proceeds of Crime Bill before the end of 2018