By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami SAN has said that looted funds recovered by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration were judiciously utilized for high-impact public oriented projects.
Malami said this in a press statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu in Abuja.
The AGF specifically disclosed that the major amount recovered after coming in place of the present government, which was $322m as recovered from Swiss, were transparently and judiciously utilized for the projects specified in the agreement by the parties involved; the Swiss Government and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The Minister further explained that the application of the fund was monitored by World Bank and Civil Society Organisations in the areas of Social Investment Programmes including N-power, School-feeding and associated interventions overseen from the office of Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.
According to him, “Looted funds recovered by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration were judiciously utilized for high-impact public oriented project.
The major amount recovered after coming in place of this government which was $322m as recovered from Swiss were transparently and judiciously utilized for the projects specified in the agreement by the parties involved; the Swiss Government and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“The application of the fund was monitored by World Bank and Civil Society Organisations in the areas of Social Investment Programmes including N-power, School-feeding and associated interventions overseen from the office of Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.
“The money was judiciously applied for the purpose for which it was meant for and none of the parties; neither the Swiss government, nor the World Bank, much less of the Civil Society Organisation raised any question regarding reputation relating to the application of the funds,” he said.
The Minister revealed that looted funds expected from the United States of America and the Island of Jessy are yet to be received by the government, adding, “so the issue regarding embezzlement or misappropriation of same is an imaginary illusion which does not even arise as the money has not yet been repatriated to Nigeria”.
Malami however said that the role of the PDP relating to transparency and accountability over the looted assets can best be appreciated with particular reference to “the 2003 agreement brokered by the PDP government and the question of liability and accountability raised by Falana (Mr Femi Falana, SAN) can best be answered by the implications of the 2003 agreement”.
He said that the looted monies recovered before 2015 were substantially recovered by past governments that should be made to account on the application or otherwise of the funds.
