US Returns $954,000 Alamieyeseigha Loot, Buhari Gives Directive

The sum of $954,000 stolen by a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha has been returned by the United States Government.

Naija News learnt that the US Government returned the loot through the Federal Government.

The development was announced by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard at a press briefing on Thursday afternoon in Abuja.

According to Beth, Alamieyeseigha’s salary at the time he was the Governor of Bayelsa State, from 1999 to his impeachment in 2005 did not match the said amount.

She further stated that the former governor accumulated millions of dollars through abuse of office and money laundering.

Speaking at the press briefing she said, “However, during that time, he accumulated millions of dollars through abuse of office, money laundering.”

Alamieyeseigha died in October 2015 at the age of 62.

President Muhammadu Buhari has immediately directed that the said sum be utilised in developing the healthcare of Bayelsa.

In 2012, more than £5 million recovered from the funds stolen by him was handed back to the Bayelsa State government by British authorities.

The money, handed over to two government officials from Bayelsa State, who came to London for the transfer, was lodged in a Bayelsa State government account with the London branch of First Bank Plc.