US To Return $8.9 Million Looted Under Jonathan To Nigeria

A Royal Court in Jersey, United States, has delivered a ruling for the repatriation of stolen assets worth £6.9 million ($8.9 million) back to Nigeria.

This decision comes in the wake of allegations that the funds were misappropriated by Nigerian government officials in 2014 under the pretext of purchasing arms to combat Boko Haram terrorists.

The BBC reported that the court determined the money, held in a Jersey bank account, was likely embezzled by officials in the Nigerian government in 2014.

This ruling is a significant development in the long-standing controversies surrounding the procurement of weapons to fight insurgency in Nigeria, particularly during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

A notable instance of these controversies involved the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, who faced accusations of diverting funds earmarked for security equipment.

Additionally, in late 2014, a private jet was seized in South Africa carrying $10 million in cash, allegedly intended for the purchase of military weapons.

The order from the Royal Court in Jersey came following a forfeiture application to the court by Jersey’s Attorney General, Mark Temple KC.

The court affirmed that the funds in question were deposited in a Jersey bank account and were not utilized for their purported purpose of arms procurement.

Attorney General Temple emphasized the collaboration between the Government of Jersey and Nigeria in ensuring the return of these funds.

He also alleged that part of the embezzled funds were distributed among family members of politicians from the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the lead-up to the 2015 general election.

He said, “This case again demonstrates the effectiveness of the 2018 Forfeiture Law in recovering the proceeds of corruption and restoring that money to victims of crime.

“I now intend to negotiate an asset return agreement with the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”