Why $322.5 Abacha loot is disbursed to poorest Nigerians ― AGF

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar
Malami, has said the decision to disbursed the $322.5 million
repatriated Abacha loot to poorest Nigerians was to ensure that
those who are the ultimate victims of corruption benefit from the
fund.

He spoke at the interactive session with an alliance of Civil
Society Organisations advocating for the passage of the Proceeds of
Crime Bill, on Monday in Abuja.

He said repatriation and recovery of assets was one part of the
coin, saying the significant thing was to ensure that the recovered
assets were utilised in a manner that is of optimal benefit to the
ordinary people of Nigeria.

“It is in the light of this that government, working with its
international partners, agreed to the use of the 322.5 million
dollars recovered from Switzerland for the Cash Transfer programme,
which is targeted at the poorest Nigerians amongst us,” he
said.

AGF whose speech was read by Mrs Ladidi Mohammed, the Director,
Asset Recovery and Management Unit, said he was glad that the civil
society organizations were actively involved in the monitoring of
the process to ensure that it goes on properly and with
integrity.

He said the current administration was committed to enacting the
Proceeds of Crime Act, which is currently before the National
Assembly as a Bill.

Malami said President Muhammadu Buhari has equally directed him
to take all necessary steps to ensure the transparent and
accountable recovery and management of assets that have been
recovered during his tenure.

Executive Director of Africa Network for Environment and
Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Reverend David Ugolor, in his remark,
called on President Buhari to put in place an Executive Order on
Asset Recovery and management to help boost asset recovery and
management regime in the country.

He also called on the National Assembly to ensure quick passage
of the Proceeds of Crime Bill before the end of 2018