Barring any
unforeseen development, the United States (US) will be repatriating the $550
million Abacha loot, still trapped in the country, to Nigeria, the Attorney
General
of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has said.
Speaking in an
interview with Sunday Vanguard, Malami confirmed that Nigeria had met major
conditions set out for the return of the loot.
According to the Justice
Minister, what is left for the draw down relates to the completion of major
paper work by the U.S.
“We have done our part by providing the necessary
documents required by the U.S Department of Justice and proving that we did not
appoint Nnanka Godson as our lawyer to trace and recover any money for the
country,” Malami said. “What is basically remaining is paperwork to be done
internally by the U.S. We have also appointed a senior Nigerian official based
in the U.S to be relating with them in order to facilitate the fund
repatriation.”
A United States District Court had, on September 17, 2016
dismissed a case by a Nigerian lawyer seeking to stop the repatriation of the
$550 million loot to Nigeria until the payment of his legal fees purportedly
worth $320 million by the Nigerian government. Justice John D. Bates of the U.S
District Court, who gave the ruling in an appeal filed by Nigeria against
Nnaka’s claim that he be paid the huge amount, paved the way for efforts to be
channelled towards drawing down the cash. Bates, in dismissing Nnaka’s case,
held that the claimant was not entitled to such payment since he was not a
party to the forfeiture case filed by the US Department of Justice in
conjunction with Nigeria.
Nigeria, through the Office of the Attorney General
of the Federation, also filed a robust opposition to the Nnaka’s motion for the
payment of the lien and also asked the court to bar Nnaka from making subsequent
filings in that case. Ruling on the case, the District Court entered an order
denying Nnaka’s Motion for a Charging Lien. The Court also specifically ruled
that Nnaka’s participation in this case
must now come to an end.” Bates said that Nnaka did not meet the basic
prerequisites to be considered as a proper party in the case and to be paid the
amount he requested for, having not qualified to represent Nigeria. The judge
also ruled out Nnaka for the payment since he had not won any judgment for Nigeria.Vanguard
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