Former Attorney General of Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN said on Tuesday that the ministry recovered $ 779, 495, 900. 00 millions stacked in foreign countries by looters and N59,163,029,949.46 billions during his tenure.
Malami disclosed this when he was handing over to the Solicitor General and permanent secretary Mr. Dayo Apata at a ceremony which was organised in his honour by the federal ministry of justice in Abuja.
Malami stated that Asset Recovery and management Unit, was established during his tenure in order to coordinate relevant stakeholders to put in place policies and mechanisms for effective and efficient assets recovery and management in the country.
According to him: “The AGF was granted mandate pursuant to directive of Council, via approval in EC (2017) 232 on 1st November, 2017 to sign on behalf of the federal government, a Tripartite Agreement with the Swiss Federal Council and World Bank for the repatriation of $321m Abacha loot.
“During the maiden Global Forum on Asset Recovery in Washington DC, USA in December 2017, the AGF signed the said agreement. The funds have since been received by the government and currently deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria.”
He stated further: “The commercial bank in the UK recently ordered a pay out of the sum of over $73m, with interest to the Nigerian government being part of the proceeds from sale of OPL 245 by Malabu Oil and Gas Company to ENI/SHELL. The said sum has also been received and deposited with the Central Bank.
“The office of the Attorney General of the Federation has recovered the sums of N59, 163, 029, 949. 46 and $385, 495, 900.00 locally.
“The total sums recovered by the Ministry during the reporting period are $ 779,495,900.00 andN59,163,029,949.46,” he stated.
Earlier, the out going Minister inaugurated the Board of Governing Councils of five parastatals except board of Human Rights Commission which was put on hold because it was yet to receive the approval of the Senate.
Those inaugurated were; Nigerian Institute of Advance Legal Studies, Council of Legal Education, Nigerian Copy Rights Commission, National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other Related Matters and Legal Aid Council.
He regretted that the absence of governing board for the parastatals during his tenure affected their productivity and effectiveness.
Malami therefore urged members of the board to be passionate and resilience with their work in order to move the parastatals forward, such can be achieved by ensuring compliance with their various parastatals’ establishment acts.
0 Comments