Stolen money: Abacha's £175m to be repatriated from Liechtenstein

Story by Precious

 

More of the loots by the late military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha have been uncovered.

This time a sum of 175m Euros has been confiscated from the family of the late dictatorand associated companies in Liechtenstein, and will soon be repatriated to Nigeria.

This development was sequel to negotiations between the Federal Government and the Principality of Liechtenstein, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, SAN, said on Thursday.

The minister, who was speaking at 2013 Ministerial Platform in Abuja, explained however that the confiscation order by the Supreme Court of Liechtenstein had been appealed by the companies involved.

Adoke said the sum would be repatriated to Nigeria once the appeal was concluded.

He said, 'We continued the liaison and negotiations with the Principality of Liechtenstein, which recently confiscated the sum of EUR 175m from the Abacha family and associated companies in Liechtenstein, following a confiscation Order by the Supreme Court of Liechtenstein.

'However, the companies involved have lodged an appeal against the decision before the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg.

'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.'

He said the development was an outcome of intensive efforts by the ministry to trace and repatriate Nigeria's stolen assets abroad.

The AGF recalled that £22.5m was confiscated and repatriated by the Royal Court of Jersey from Raj Arjandes Bhojwani, an Indian national, and associate of the late Abacha.