On-the-alleged-us-government-uncovered-plot-by-nigerian-federal-government-to-pay-apc-governor-100m-dollars-from-abacha-loot-the-need-for-the-federal-governments-action
September 7, 2020 | News
ON THE ALLEGED US GOVERNMENT UNCOVERED PLOT BY NIGERIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PAY APC GOVERNOR $100M FROM ABACHA LOOT – THE NEED FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S ACTION
With recent reports that the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) says the Federal Government of Nigeria led by President Muhammadu Buhari, is blocking attempts to recover late Sani Abacha’s loot traced to Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, we strongly believe this allegation is a very weighty one, which, if it is true, then there is expedient need for President Buhari to investigate and bring to book, everyone that is behind this illegal transaction. So, as to save Nigeria's image from further dent amongst the international Community. If it is true that the stated Kebbi State Governor is involved in this scam, then such a governor ought not to remain in the administration of President Buhari no matter what. As such, this allegation should be properly investigated and cleared.
According to reports, the US DoJ made the claim in court papers filed before the District Court for the District of Columbia in Washington, stating that Bagudu, who is a close ally of Buhari and a prominent member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was indicted by the US Government for helping the late military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, to transfer millions of dollars in the mid-90s. According to documents from the DoJ, Bagudu spent six months in federal detention in Texas while awaiting extradition to the Island of Jersey. However, before he was handed over to criminal trial in Jersey, he quickly agreed to return $163m to Nigeria and was released on bond to Nigeria, where he was meant to be prosecuted for money laundering. But on returning to Nigeria, he was cleared to contest in three different election cycles – once as a Senator and Twice as Governor – all of which he won, and now enjoys immunity.
In a report published by Bloomberg recently, it was stated that the US Department of Justice says the Nigerian Government is preventing the US from seizing Bagudu’s alleged loot. The DoJ also contends that the Nigerian Government is hindering US efforts to recover allegedly laundered money it says they traced to Bagudu. Buhari’s administration says a 17-year-old agreement entitles Bagudu to the funds and prevents Nigeria from assisting the US, according to recent filings from the District Court for the District of Columbia in Washington,” the report stated. According to the report, the disagreement may hamper future cooperation between Nigeria and the US to recover state money moved offshore by Abacha, whom Transparency International estimates may have looted as much as $5bn during his 1993-98 rule.
“A commitment by Nigeria to transfer the funds to Kebbi State Governor Abubakar Bagudu appears to undermine Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s pledge to quell rampant graft in Africa’s top oil producer,” the report stated. despite of all these allegations, neither Bagudu nor a spokesman for the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), have responded to these allegations to clear the air. A spokesman for Buhari said the settlement and the litigation were matters for Malami.
For us, the bottom line is that there is need for the President Buhari-led Federal Government to come out and clear the air, and also ensure that whatever alleged foul play that has taken place as regard the said Abacha loot, in connection with the Kebbi State Government, then both the said Governor Bagudu and everyone else whose hands have been soiled with the said allegation, should be made to face the full weight of the law. The Federal Government cannot be seen to be partial or selective, in its fight against corruption.
The Nigerian masses have been subjected through a lot of things for years as a result of the irresponsible actions of those in power. And the people are tired of hearing every now and then, of huge amounts of stolen public funds that were starched abroad in foreign accounts/assets, which even they are repatriated, the people do not get to know what these funds were used for, or have a taste of such funds in terms of basic infrastructure. As such, we ask that the Government of the day should ensure that these politically exposed persons in different government levels in the country, whose hands are stained with stolen public funds, should be dealt with the full weight of the law, regardless of who the persons are, or what status they occupy.
Zik Gbemre.
February 24, 2020
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
With recent reports that the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) says the Federal Government of Nigeria led by President Muhammadu Buhari, is blocking attempts to recover late Sani Abacha’s loot traced to Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, we strongly believe this allegation is a very weighty one, which, if it is true, then there is expedient need for President Buhari to investigate and bring to book, everyone that is behind this illegal transaction. So, as to save Nigeria's image from further dent amongst the international Community. If it is true that the stated Kebbi State Governor is involved in this scam, then such a governor ought not to remain in the administration of President Buhari no matter what. As such, this allegation should be properly investigated and cleared.
According to reports, the US DoJ made the claim in court papers filed before the District Court for the District of Columbia in Washington, stating that Bagudu, who is a close ally of Buhari and a prominent member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was indicted by the US Government for helping the late military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, to transfer millions of dollars in the mid-90s. According to documents from the DoJ, Bagudu spent six months in federal detention in Texas while awaiting extradition to the Island of Jersey. However, before he was handed over to criminal trial in Jersey, he quickly agreed to return $163m to Nigeria and was released on bond to Nigeria, where he was meant to be prosecuted for money laundering. But on returning to Nigeria, he was cleared to contest in three different election cycles – once as a Senator and Twice as Governor – all of which he won, and now enjoys immunity.
In a report published by Bloomberg recently, it was stated that the US Department of Justice says the Nigerian Government is preventing the US from seizing Bagudu’s alleged loot. The DoJ also contends that the Nigerian Government is hindering US efforts to recover allegedly laundered money it says they traced to Bagudu. Buhari’s administration says a 17-year-old agreement entitles Bagudu to the funds and prevents Nigeria from assisting the US, according to recent filings from the District Court for the District of Columbia in Washington,” the report stated. According to the report, the disagreement may hamper future cooperation between Nigeria and the US to recover state money moved offshore by Abacha, whom Transparency International estimates may have looted as much as $5bn during his 1993-98 rule.
“A commitment by Nigeria to transfer the funds to Kebbi State Governor Abubakar Bagudu appears to undermine Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s pledge to quell rampant graft in Africa’s top oil producer,” the report stated. despite of all these allegations, neither Bagudu nor a spokesman for the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), have responded to these allegations to clear the air. A spokesman for Buhari said the settlement and the litigation were matters for Malami.
For us, the bottom line is that there is need for the President Buhari-led Federal Government to come out and clear the air, and also ensure that whatever alleged foul play that has taken place as regard the said Abacha loot, in connection with the Kebbi State Government, then both the said Governor Bagudu and everyone else whose hands have been soiled with the said allegation, should be made to face the full weight of the law. The Federal Government cannot be seen to be partial or selective, in its fight against corruption.
The Nigerian masses have been subjected through a lot of things for years as a result of the irresponsible actions of those in power. And the people are tired of hearing every now and then, of huge amounts of stolen public funds that were starched abroad in foreign accounts/assets, which even they are repatriated, the people do not get to know what these funds were used for, or have a taste of such funds in terms of basic infrastructure. As such, we ask that the Government of the day should ensure that these politically exposed persons in different government levels in the country, whose hands are stained with stolen public funds, should be dealt with the full weight of the law, regardless of who the persons are, or what status they occupy.
Zik Gbemre.
February 24, 2020
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes