The Federal Government has filed 311 requests for extradition
and mutual legal assistance in the two years of the Muhammadu
Buhari administration.
This figure was contained in a book, ‘Making Steady, Sustainable
Progress for Nigeria’s Peace and Prosperity’, which was presented
to the public on Thursday.
The 360-page book is a mid-term scorecard of the present
administration authored by the Presidential Media Team. It listed
the achievements of all the ministries in the two years of the
present administration.
It also highlighted the achievements of some key government
agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
Independent and Corrupt Practices and other related Offences
Commission, Code of Conduct Bureau, Federal Road Safety Commission,
Nigeria Customs Service and the Niger Delta Development Commission
among others.
The figure of the extraditions and mutual legal assistance was
contained in the section allotted to the Ministry of Justice.
The book however did not give details of the offences committed
by the Nigerians that necessitated the extradition requests.
It also did not mention the names of those who were listed in
the requests or the countries from where their extraditions are
being sought.
There are however many former government officials who are being
investigated of corruption currently residing outside the
country.
The statistics further showed that the ministry received 636
“incoming requests” of extraditions and mutual legal
assistance.
Those are foreign nationals whose countries of origin are
requesting their extradition from Nigeria back home.
According to the document, only 503 out of the 636 incoming
requests were forwarded to competent authorities for execution.
It said 390 of the requests had been completed, meaning that the
affected persons may be on their way back to their respective
countries or could have been repatriated already.
The book did not also disclose the offences committed by the
affected persons in their countries or the names of the wanted
persons.
It also did not state the countries from where the extradition
requests were received.
According to the book, the EFCC recorded about 200 convictions
in 2016 with assets running into billions of naira recovered.
It stated that in the first quarter of 2017, the commission
recorded 62 convictions.
It said more significant was that among the convicts were a
number of high-profile personalities, including a former governor,
oil barons and top officials of the Independent National Electoral
Commission.
“Bala Ngilari, former governor of Adamawa State, was jailed five
years on March 6 by Justice Nathan Musa of the Adamawa State High
Court for procurement fraud.
“The conviction was significant not only on the score that the
trial was completed in seven months but it was also the first
conviction of a former governor to be recorded in nearly six
years,” the book read.
According to the book, the EFCC is closely working with the US
Department of Justice, the FBI, UK National Crime Agency, UK
Serious Fraud Office and the Netherlands Police.
The relationships, it stated, were geared towards seamless
investigations of transnational economic and financial crimes as
well as tracing and recovery of looted funds and assets.
“The commission has been actively involved in the tracing and
recovery of stolen assets both within and outside Nigeria.
“It has also been instrumental in securing the cooperation of
countries such as the UAE in supporting the anti-money laundering
efforts of the Nigerian government,” the book added.
The book was jointly edited by the Special Adviser to the
President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina; Senior Special
Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu; and
the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice-President on Media and
Publicity, Laolu Akande.
At the public presentation of the book on Thursday, Buhari said
he had resolved to pay back the goodwill Nigerians extended towards
him during his recent health ordeal by protecting their interests
with all the energy at his disposal.
He restated his administration’s commitment to improving
security, fighting corruption and restructuring the economy.
The President stated that within the limited resources available
to him, his administration would continue to give priority to
security by addressing herdsmen/farmers clashes, kidnapping and
armed robberies.
Buhari added that his government was working quietly to secure
the release of the remaining girls, who were kidnapped in their
school in Chibok, Borno State, in 2014.
He had said, “We have gone through difficult times due to
worldwide economic recession. We are coming out of recession and
government efforts are targeted at easing economic hardships, with
more jobs, social security platforms for vulnerable families, and
unemployed and infrastructural progress.
“On the current issues on herdsmen/farmers clashes, kidnapping
and armed robberies within the confines of our limited resources,
we are giving top priority to security.”
The Federal Government has filed 311 requests for extradition
and mutual legal assistance in the two years of the Muhammadu
Buhari administration.
This figure was contained in a book, ‘Making Steady, Sustainable
Progress for Nigeria’s Peace and Prosperity’, which was presented
to the public on Thursday.
The 360-page book is a mid-term scorecard of the present
administration authored by the Presidential Media Team. It listed
the achievements of all the ministries in the two years of the
present administration.
It also highlighted the achievements of some key government
agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
Independent and Corrupt Practices and other related Offences
Commission, Code of Conduct Bureau, Federal Road Safety Commission,
Nigeria Customs Service and the Niger Delta Development Commission
among others.
The figure of the extraditions and mutual legal assistance was
contained in the section allotted to the Ministry of Justice.
The book however did not give details of the offences committed
by the Nigerians that necessitated the extradition requests.
It also did not mention the names of those who were listed in
the requests or the countries from where their extraditions are
being sought.
There are however many former government officials who are being
investigated of corruption currently residing outside the
country.
The statistics further showed that the ministry received 636
“incoming requests” of extraditions and mutual legal
assistance.
Those are foreign nationals whose countries of origin are
requesting their extradition from Nigeria back home.
According to the document, only 503 out of the 636 incoming
requests were forwarded to competent authorities for execution.
It said 390 of the requests had been completed, meaning that the
affected persons may be on their way back to their respective
countries or could have been repatriated already.
The book did not also disclose the offences committed by the
affected persons in their countries or the names of the wanted
persons.
It also did not state the countries from where the extradition
requests were received.
According to the book, the EFCC recorded about 200 convictions
in 2016 with assets running into billions of naira recovered.
It stated that in the first quarter of 2017, the commission
recorded 62 convictions.
It said more significant was that among the convicts were a
number of high-profile personalities, including a former governor,
oil barons and top officials of the Independent National Electoral
Commission.
“Bala Ngilari, former governor of Adamawa State, was jailed five
years on March 6 by Justice Nathan Musa of the Adamawa State High
Court for procurement fraud.
“The conviction was significant not only on the score that the
trial was completed in seven months but it was also the first
conviction of a former governor to be recorded in nearly six
years,” the book read.
According to the book, the EFCC is closely working with the US
Department of Justice, the FBI, UK National Crime Agency, UK
Serious Fraud Office and the Netherlands Police.
The relationships, it stated, were geared towards seamless
investigations of transnational economic and financial crimes as
well as tracing and recovery of looted funds and assets.
“The commission has been actively involved in the tracing and
recovery of stolen assets both within and outside Nigeria.
“It has also been instrumental in securing the cooperation of
countries such as the UAE in supporting the anti-money laundering
efforts of the Nigerian government,” the book added.
The book was jointly edited by the Special Adviser to the
President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina; Senior Special
Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu; and
the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice-President on Media and
Publicity, Laolu Akande.
At the public presentation of the book on Thursday, Buhari said
he had resolved to pay back the goodwill Nigerians extended towards
him during his recent health ordeal by protecting their interests
with all the energy at his disposal.
He restated his administration’s commitment to improving
security, fighting corruption and restructuring the economy.
The President stated that within the limited resources available
to him, his administration would continue to give priority to
security by addressing herdsmen/farmers clashes, kidnapping and
armed robberies.
Buhari added that his government was working quietly to secure
the release of the remaining girls, who were kidnapped in their
school in Chibok, Borno State, in 2014.
He had said, “We have gone through difficult times due to
worldwide economic recession. We are coming out of recession and
government efforts are targeted at easing economic hardships, with
more jobs, social security platforms for vulnerable families, and
unemployed and infrastructural progress.
“On the current issues on herdsmen/farmers clashes, kidnapping
and armed robberies within the confines of our limited resources,
we are giving top priority to security.”
Read more https://www.nairalaw.com/fg-files-311-wanted-nigerians-extradition-requests-in-two-years/