Justice ministry recovers $779m, N59bn, says Malami
By Andrew Orolua, Abuja
Former Attorney General of Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) said on Tuesday that the ministry recovered $779, 495, 900. 00 million stacked in foreign countries by looters and N59, 163, 029, 949.46 billion during his tenure.
Malami disclosed this in his remarks while handing over the affairs of the Federal Ministry of Justice to the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Dayo Apata.
He said that during his tenure, the asset recovery and management unit was established to coordinate relevant stakeholders to put in place policies and mechanisms for effective and efficient assets recovery and management in the country.
The ex-minister added that he was granted the mandate pursuant to directive of council, November 1, 2017 to sign on behalf of the federal government, a tripartite agreement with the Swiss Federal Council and World Bank for the repatriation of $321 million Abacha loot.
“During the maiden Global Forum on Asset Recovery in Washington DC, USA in December 2017, the attorney general signed the said agreement. The funds have since been received by the government and currently deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“The commercial bank in the UK recently ordered a pay out of the sum of over $73 million with interest to the Nigerian government being part of the proceeds from the sale of OPL 245 by Malabu Oil and Gas Company to ENI/SHELL. The said sum has also been received and deposited with the Central Bank.
“The office of the attorney general of the federation has recovered the sums of N59, 163, 029, 949.46 and $385, 495, 900.00 locally. The total sums recovered by the ministry during the reporting period are $779, 495, 900.00 and N59, 163, 029, 949.46,” he stated.
Malami also said on Tuesday that the long absence of board of governing councils of parastatals under the ministry of justice adversely affected their productivity.
He disclosed this shortly before he inaugurated the board ofthe governing councils of five parastatals, namely, the Nigerian Institute of Advance Legal Studies, Council of Legal Education, Nigerian Copy Rights Commission, National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other Related Matters and the Legal Aid Council.
Meanwhile, the inauguration of members of the board of governing council of the Human Rights Commission was put on hold because it was yet to receive Senate approval.
