Malami In US To Sign Repatriation Agreement For Return Of $321m Abacha Loot

In a move to repatriate $321m looted by late former Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, the government of Nigeria is expected to this week sign a tripartite pact with the United States of America and the Island of New Jersey.

In a statement issued by Umar Gwandu, Spokesman for the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, the minister would sign the agreement on behalf of the federal government in Washington DC.

According to Gwandu, Malami has departed Nigeria to attend a three-day meeting of the United States-Nigeria Bi-national Commission in Washington DC, during which the pact would be signed.

The statement reads in part: “At the meeting, the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice is expected to, on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, sign a tripartite agreement with Nigeria, the Island of New Jersey and the United States of America for the repatriation of $321m looted assets, as part of the federal government’s efforts to recover more stolen funds stashed abroad.”

Furthermore, the statement added that the meeting was an annual event between Nigeria and the US aimed at reviewing the bilateral relationship and taking necessary steps to advance mutual interest in all diplomatic areas among the two countries.

It described the meeting as “a friendly bi-national meeting that holds annually devoid of intervening concerns or relating to the internal affairs of the participating states.”

Other members of the Nigerian delegation to the meeting, apart from Malami, according to the statement are the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo; Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd.); Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.); and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Faruk.