The National Crime Agency (NCA) of the United Kingdom has recovered $23,439,724 looted by the allies and family of a former Nigerian dictator, the late Sani Abacha.
UK Recovers $23m Abacha Loot
In a statement published on its website, the NCA said the funds form part of a larger pool of monies identified by the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) as having being misappropriated by Abacha and his associates.
The UK Agency said the looted funds were recovered after the USDOJ requested enforcement of the U.S. forfeiture order relating to the seized monies after nearly seven years of litigation and international negotiations to secure the recovery order.
NCA added that the looted funds have now been transferred to the Home Office of the UK for onward transmission to the USDOJ.
Speaking on the development, Billy Beattie, asset denial senior manager at NCA, said the UK is not a safe haven for criminals to launder their proceeds of crime, adding that civil recovery of assets is a powerful weapon.
“The NCA is committed to ensuring that the UK is not a safe haven for criminals to launder their proceeds of crime, and civil recovery of assets is a powerful weapon in this fight.
“We work closely with UK and international partners to tackle the threat posed by corruption, which disproportionately impacts the poorest and most vulnerable members of society.
“We are committed to ensuring that those who perpetuate corruption do not benefit from their actions,” Beattie said.
KanyiDaily recalls that the Federal Government had also signed a tripartite agreement between Nigeria, Jersey and United States to repatriate back to the country $321million traced to the late Abacha.
