Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the Federal Government to “disclose within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of our Freedom of Information requests the exact amount of public funds stolen by a former military head of state, Sani Abacha and details of spending of about $5 billion recovered loot since the return of democracy in 1999.”

SERAP is also asking the Federal Government to “disclose details of projects executed with the Abacha loot and their locations, details of companies and contractors involved in the execution of any such projects, details of all the agreements on the loot, the roles played by the World Bank and other actors, as well as the implementation status of all projects since 1999.”

In two Freedom of Information requests sent to Mrs Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning and Mr Abukabar Malami, SAN, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, SERAP said: “We are concerned that substantial part of the estimated $5 billion returned Abacha loot since 1999 may have been diverted, re-stolen or mismanaged, and in any case remain unaccounted for.”

In the FoI requests dated 14 February 2020 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said: “Publishing the details of projects on which Abacha loot has been spent would allow the public to know the specific projects carried and the areas of the country in which the projects have been implemented as well as the officials that may be responsible for any alleged diversion or mismanagement of the loot.”

According to SERAP: “Getting to the root of the exact amount of the Abacha loot and how the returned funds have been spent is important for the success of the government’s fight against grand corruption and would reassure Nigerians that the government is truly committed to ensuring full accountability for the alleged corruption and mismanagement in the spending of the funds.”

“Any failure or refusal to provide the information requested will be clearly inconsistent with the letter and spirit of the FoI Act. The accountability of government to the general public is a hallmark of modern democratic governance, a norm of human rights and a tool to curb corruption.”

The FoI requests read, in part: “If we have not heard from you within 7 days as stated, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions under the FoI Act to compel you to comply with our request. Access to the details sought would allow Nigerians an opportunity to assess the impacts of any projects carried out with the funds.”

“SERAP is concerned that the allegations of corruption and mismanagement involving the use of Abacha loot may be responsible for the increasing level of grand corruption over the years and the entrenched impunity of perpetrators.”

“Publishing details of spending of Abacha loot by successive administrations would also ensure that persons with public responsibilities are answerable to the people for the performance of their duties including the management of Nigeria’s commonwealth.”

“Transparency and accountability enable citizens to have a say about issues such as the spending of returned Abacha loot, that matter to them and a chance to monitor and influence how the funds are spent as well as hold those managing the funds to account in cases of diversion or mismanagement.”

“The government ought to come up with an Abacha loot scoreboard to determine the exact amount stolen and the extent of transparency and accountability of the returned loot since 1999.”

“If there is any indication that any of the recovered Abacha funds have been diverted, re-stolen or mismanaged, for such cases to be immediately referred to appropriate anti-corruption agencies for effective investigation, and prosecution if there is relevant admissible evidence.”

“A scoreboard for the actual amount stolen and the spending of returned loot by each administration since 1999 would encourage more transparency and accountability and ensure that the funds reach the real victims of corruption as well as reduce concerns by Nigerians, the holding states and other partners about the returned loot being diverted, re-stolen or mismanaged.”

“According to our information, a special panel set up on 23 July 1998 by the former head of state General Abdulsalami Abubakar to probe the late military dictator General Sani Abacha stated that he stole over $5 billion between 1993 and 1998 when he was in power. Much of the stolen public funds have been returned to Nigeria.”

“The report by the panel shows that the government recovered some $635 million, £75 million, DM 30 million and N9 billion as well as several vehicles and properties in Abuja, Lagos and Kano together with 40% interests in West African Refinery in Sierra Leone. Other assets were recovered from the Abacha family and associates.”

“Furthermore, former president Olusegun Obasanjo administration also reportedly recovered over $2 billion of Abacha loot. Mr Obasanjo would seem to confirm this fact when he stated in the second volume of his book titled My Watch that: ‘by the time I left office in May 2007, over $2 billion and £100 million had been recovered from the Abacha family abroad, and N10 billion in cash and properties locally.’”

“Similarly, former president Goodluck Jonathan administration reportedly recovered $226.3 million and €7.5 Million from Liechtenstein. Some £22.5 million was also recovered from the Island of Jersey while $322 million and £5.5 million from the Abacha loot were reportedly returned to the government.”

“The government of president Muhammadu Buhari has also recovered several millions of dollars of Abacha loot since assuming office in May 2015, including $321 million from Switzerland, and $300 million from the US and Jersey.”

SERAP therefore urged the Federal Government to:

1. Disclose the exact amounts stolen by Abacha, and the total amounts of the recovered loot and all agreements since the return of democracy in 1999;

2. Disclose details of the projects executed with the funds, locations of any such projects and the names of companies and contractors that carried out the projects;

3. Disclose details of specific roles played by the World Bank and other partners in the execution of any projects funded with Abacha loot since 1999;

4. Refer any allegations of corruption involving the execution of projects with Abacha loot to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for investigation;

5. Ensure that anyone involved in alleged corruption in projects executed with Abacha loot is brought to justice if there is relevant and sufficient admissible evidence

“By Section 1 (1) of the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act 2011, SERAP is entitled as of right to request for or gain access to information, including information on the exact amount stolen and spending of returned Abacha loot and related details.”

http://serap-nigeria.org/serap-gives-fg-7-days-to-disclose-spending-of-recovered-abacha-loot-since-1999.ngo/

SERAP or SHARAP

This is hate speech

This ones are high on Colorado.
Where dem dey before?

That deputy director is Yoruba abi, Bullhari go change am soon.



But Abacha no try at all ooo, the guy don die since but his stolen money still dey live..

Eyan Pablo

If they don’t what would happen?

lol, challenging the almighty FG. Imagine the impunity.

But the way at which the demand is constructed is highly hypocritical, who among dem fit com out boast say Im never tiv before, make Im tak am make God of lie punch am for mouth.

I HATE HYPOCRACY..

Okay Mr Lai Mohammed come and tell us please

SERAP should just SHARAP i commend their efforts buh all dis are useless in my country.

I see this organisation as mere noise makers

Even though I think SERAP are just bunch of noise makers, isn't it right for us to demand for accountability in the Abacha loot recovery?

Our docility is becoming nauseating.

Buhari is deaf and doesn't give a Bleep about transparency.

Story, stooooryyyy? STORY.
Once upon a tiiiiiiime? TIME TIME.

Lol.... OR WHAT WILL HAPPEN?

AUDIO GRA-GRA... ����

Imaginary dream .

nonsense pipo.everybody dey look for pay

Audio threat. Threat wey no reach Aso rock gate

Both people at SERAP and FG are mad

Fraudulent government

[color=#000099][/color]Is SERAP not under government parastatal? Check and balance abi ;DIs SERAP not under government parastatal? Check and balance abi

CalciumB3:
This ones are high on Colorado.
Where dem dey before?

That deputy director is Yoruba abi, Bullhari go change am soon.



But Abacha no try at all ooo, the guy don die since but his stolen money still dey live..

Eyan Pablo

SERAP is a Non Governmental Organization!

The request to the Minister is an F.O.I request.

FOI act Jona signed. If na diz current idi*t in Aso, e for reject d bill till e comot office

Abacha seems to be a kind ancestor because anytime Nigeria is broke he credits our account but unfortunately some greedy and heartless politicians are (re)embezzling the money

We only hear "Abacha loot" all the time but ordinary citizens are not seeing what the moneies so far recovered are used for
Baba is still running up and down looking for loans at the detriment of our future.

Oma see oo!

SERAP and the unending ultimatums.

Someone said Abacha helped saved for the dry season. How thoughtful of him!

Unfortunately, the recovered loot is becoming audio

THE NORTH AND VANITY OF POWER

By Charles Ogbu (Twitter@RealCharlesOgbu)

Northern Nigeria is a tragic paradox. A walking contradiction, I mean.

For over 40 years, the North has ruled Nigeria and controlled every aspect of her national life. The current President of Nigeria is from the North and virtually every security agencies in Nigeria including the paramilitary ones are in the hands of Northerners. Yet, almost half of the North is firmly in the hands of terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements operating under different names. Both our Army Chief, Defence minister and even the Commander-In-Chief now need to be escorted by almost the entire Nigerian armed forces before they visit their home towns all in the North. As I type, some of the bodies of dozenS of people butchered by bandits Friday evening in President Buhari's own home state of Katsina are yet to be interred.

All the revenue generating agencies in the country from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) etc are manned by Northerners. The richest man in Africa is from the North. Yet, according to a recent report released by World Bank, 87% of Nigerians living in poverty are in the North.

Beyond poverty and insecurity, the North boasts of having the highest number of out-of-school children estimated at 12 million by a UN report. The worst case of infant and maternal mortality in Nigeria is in the North. The worst case of illiteracy and drug abuse is in the North. It is also in the North that the highest number of unemployed and unemployable youths are found.

This raises the question: What exactly has the Northern elites done for the North with all the long years they've controlled political power in the country? Of what use is power if you cannot use it to change the fortune of your people?

In the midst of all these internal contradictions, why do Northern youths still seem to worship their political elites as some god instead of seeing and treating them as the real authors of their misfortune? Why do Northern youths only care about helping their elites acquire political power without deploying that same energy towards making sure they use that power in a way it will benefit the average Northerner?

Funny enough, despite the consensus on the nothingness that is the Buhari regime and the entire North becoming a hotbed of terrorism and banditry under a Northern Commander-In-Chief, if elections were to be held today between President Buhari who has failed beyond every doubt and a Southern candidate with excellent record and a credible chance of transforming Nigeria, chances are the average Northern youth will vote Buhari even if doing so will conclusively put the country on the way to golgotha. He will, because all that matters to him is having a fellow Northern Muslim at the helm of affairs. Mind you, if the North were to be a separate Nation, Northerners would never elect someone of Buhari's intellect and competence to head even a hamlet because they know he has nothing to offer. The only reason they support Buhari is because they care more about dominating others than they do about performance.

It is a cultural thing. It has a name: Feudalism.

And this is exactly why the North and the South can never coexist happily because the two regions have a world view and value system that contrasts sharply with each other. One wants to explore the world and her full potentials while the other simply wants to dominate everyone and force others to go back to the dark ages with her.

I understand that we are in a time when truth sounds like hate to those who hate it but it must be stated in an unmistakable term that the Northern part of Nigeria is a huge liability to the rest of the country. If the region fails to take immediate steps to address her issues, the North risks collapsing under the weight of her internal contradictions. And when it happens, it will drag the rest of the country along as we are already witnessing.

Southern leaders must start making preparations for the day-after-tomorrow because if a man cannot stop a bad rain from falling, wisdom demands he should at least take measures to protect himself from being beaten by the rain.

Nigerian Government (Federal, State or Local level) do not have Records and they also do not keep Records since time immemorial. It's a trend that won't stop soon because of corruption, selfishness and lack of knowledge.

Mission "impossicant"

Try again later, network not reachable at the moment

Very commendable , i urge them to keep on the war for transparency and accountability, that our rulers will know that we are aware and awaken

Abacha's looted money lives on

Lol
so they will start the investigation from obj admntn