US Announces Another $319m Abacha Loot In UK, France

United States embassy in Nigeria has announced another $319m (N121bn) Sani Abacha, former Nigeria military dictator, loot is in the United Kingdom and France.

This comes about a week after Nigeria got $311 million Abacha Loot from the US and the Bailiwick of Jersey.

“The funds returned last week are distinct and separate from an additional $167m in stolen assets also forfeited in the United Kingdom and France, as well as $152m still in active litigation in the United Kingdom,” the embassy said in a statement on Wednesday.

It added that the United States will continue to help “combat corruption and to ensure a successful outcome in the return of these funds.”

It is unclear if the $152m litigation in the United Kingdom is the same with $152m (now $155m due to interest) being challenged by the UK and the US in a UK court.

The two countries are challenging its repatriation to Nigeria on the allegation that Nigerian government was planning to return $110 million of the money to Atiku Bagudu.

Bagudu, Kebbi state governor, was a financial adviser to the Abacha family.

The U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement in February that Bagudu was part of a network controlled by Abacha that “embezzled, misappropriated and extorted billions from the government of Nigeria.”

Bloomberg reported that President Muhammadu Buhari administration is seeking the approval of a UK court to take possession of the assets before transferring 70 percent of the proceeds to Bagudu under the terms of an agreement signed in 2018.

But Nigeria’s Attorney-General Abubakar Malami denied such deal with Bagudu never happened but court papers say otherwise.