By Bode Olagoke
Abuja
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), an advocacy group, has requested the new US government under President Donald Trump to release to Nigeria, part of the $500 million loot stashed in the US by the late military dictator, General Sani Abacha.
The request was contained in an open letter by the group to the new US President, dated February 3, and jointly signed by Alexander W. Sierck and Adetokunbo Mumuni, the organisation’s US Volunteer Counsel Professor and Executive Director, respectively.
The organisation said, “These proceeds are separate from the $480 million of Abacha-origin funds that have been forfeited to the US under an August 2014 US federal district court order.”
It pointed out that its request is consistent with the UN Convention Against Corruption, which the US and Nigeria had ratified.
It requested the US Department of Justice to promptly initiate civil asset forfeiture proceedings against these proceeds “so as to fulfil many unambiguous commitments by the US to assist Nigeria in recovering assets looted by the country’s former government officials.”
The letter, which was copied to the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stuart Symington, and US Secretary of State, Mr. Rex Tillerson, said: “SERAP urges your new administration to initiate discussions with the Nigerian government to fulfil these objectives within an agreed framework and timeline. “Simultaneously, the US government should instruct the Justice Department to initiate civil asset forfeiture proceedings regarding the above-referenced $500 million in assets described above.”
It equally stated that any bilateral discussions between the US and Nigeria on the assets mentioned above, should include an acknowledgment of the significant role that civil society plays in asset recovery matters.
“To that end, the respective governments ought to commit to promptly sharing information with relevant civil society organisations on stolen assets of Nigerian origin located in the US or otherwise subject to US jurisdiction. This proposed commitment is similar to one between the US and Kenya as well as consistent with Articles 46 (4) and 56 of the UN Convention Against Corruption.”
