The US has begun forfeiture proceedings on the proceeds of corruption owned by a former Nigerian Head of State, late General Sani Abacha.
Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr Mohammed Bello Adoke, in a statement on Wednesday said that his office had received requests for Mutual Legal Assistance for the Central Authority of the United States in relation to the forfeiture.
He expressed the Nigerian government’s readiness to cooperate with the United States in line with obligations assumed under the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters and applauded the efforts of the United States to recover the proceeds of corruption for the benefit of the people of Nigeria
“The proceedings will make it possible for the defendants to forfeit over $550million and £95,910 in 10 accounts and six investment portfolios linked to Abacha in France, the Britain, British Virgin Islands and the United States.
“The overall objective of these efforts is to ensure that Nigeria as the Victim State is able to have the forfeited assets (money) repatriated to Nigeria to fund development projects for the benefit of the people in accordance with the dictates of Chapter IV of the United Nations Convention against corruption (UNCAC)” the statement read.
He assured the US government that Nigeria, as State Party to UNCAC, would do all that was required to realise the objective.
The forfeiture proceedings were initiated by the United States Department of Justice.