EFCC traces N6.18 billion
Abacha loot to top lawyerThe Economic and Financial CrimesCommission (EFCC) is on the trail of aSenior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. DamianDodo, over £22.5million (N6.18billion) thelate Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha,allegedly hide in the Island of Jersey.
EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu in aninterview with a journalistThe Nation reports that the anti-graft agencyis also uncertainty over the whereabouts ofover $400million Abacha loot on the Island.The EFCC might question Dodo over thecash “any moment from now.”Dodo, last night revealed that a UK-basedlawyer, Erico Monfrini cooperated with athree-man Federal Government team —Dodo,ex-Attorney-General of the Federation Mr.Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) and EFCC’sformer secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Akonmaye.A source within the agency said: “We areprobing the whereabouts of £22.5m(N6.18billion) loot of the late Head of State,Gen. Sani Abacha which was recovered fromthe Island of Jersey. The EFCC cannot locatewhere the money was remitted to.“According to records, the late Head of Stateallegedly stashed the funds through aLebanese called Bhojwani. But when the Officeof the AGF was alerted by a whistleblower, thegovernment of ex-President GoodluckJonathan opened discussion with the Attorney-General of the Island of Jersey.“The AG of the Island of Jersey cooperatedfully with the government, leading to therepatriation of the £22.5m. We want to knowwhere the money is; we need records fromthose involved.“We are inviting Damian Dodo, who played akey role in securing the £22.5m (N6.18billion)loot for the Federal Government to give thedetails.”According to the source, it was uncertain ifthe adminhiistration of former presidentGoodluck Jonathan collected the $400millionAbacha loot also kept in Jersey Island.“There is also uncertainty about $400millionAbacha loot on the Island. The government ofIsland of Jersey pledged to repatriate thestashed funds and even initiated a processtowards that. As I speak with you, no one canaccount for the $400million.“What we have been hearing is that theGovernment of Island of Jersey wasdemanding a proportionate part of the funds.Again, there is uncertainty whether the lootwas remitted or is diverted or still on theIsland.“This is why the EFCC team is stepping upinvestigation into Abacha loot on this tinyisland,” the source said.Dodo told The Nation correspondent lastnight that: “The EFCC was part of thenegotiation for the repatriation of the £22.5m(N6.18billion) loot; it should just go throughits records instead of calling for my head overnothing. The former Secretary of EFCCrepresented the commission at every stage ofthe recovery.“The terms of agreement were clearly spelt outand the Federal Government provided theaccount in which the recovered funds shouldbe paid. At inter-governmental level, the EFCCcan ask the Federal Government to contact theGovernment of Island of Jersey for alltransaction records.“I have nothing to hide. No repatriationnegotiation was done under the carpet at all.We did our best for this nation in recoveringthe looted funds. The Government of Island ofJersey wanted the substantial part of themoney and we said ‘no’. We said Nigerianeeded the money more than the Island ofJersey.“It is just vendetta. I have nothing to hide.They have searched all my accounts in orderto find out whether or not I transferred moneyto Adoke. They could not find anything againstme. I think they are after the former AGF at allcost.“The EFCC was involved from the beginning tothe end, why can’t they check their recordsinstead of scandalising me.Reacting to the $400 million still hidden onthe Island of Jersey, Dodo said: “They shouldget in touch with the Government of Island ofJersey.”The ex-AGF who recently spoke at theopening ceremony of the 8th Edition of theNational Seminar on Economic Crimes heldat the EFCC training school in Abuja,mentioned the recovery of the money butdeclined to give details.“Only recently, we negotiated the recovery andrepatriation of the sum of £22.5m from theIsland of Jersey, being the proceeds of moneylaundered from Nigeria.“I wish to seize this opportunity to commendthe Attorney-General of Jersey for the supportand cooperation we received and urge otherjurisdictions to also extend to us, the muchneeded cooperation to enable us repatriatestolen assets within their jurisdictions.
“Our experience has shown that despiteinternational condemnation of corruption andmoney laundering, many jurisdictions wherestolen assets to victim states or imposestringent conditions for its repatriation withattendant negative consequences on victimstates.“We also intend to vigorously pursue stolenassets and the confiscation of otherinstrumentalities of crime within the country bystrengthening our confiscatory and forfeiturelaws,” the ex-AGF said.The EFCC recently increased its temple inthe ongoing investigations into the famousHalliburton scam. The spokesman of theagency, Wilson Uwujaren, said Dodo hadbeen initially questioned for eight hours inconnection to the investigation.
Abacha loot to top lawyerThe Economic and Financial CrimesCommission (EFCC) is on the trail of aSenior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. DamianDodo, over £22.5million (N6.18billion) thelate Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha,allegedly hide in the Island of Jersey.
EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu in aninterview with a journalistThe Nation reports that the anti-graft agencyis also uncertainty over the whereabouts ofover $400million Abacha loot on the Island.The EFCC might question Dodo over thecash “any moment from now.”Dodo, last night revealed that a UK-basedlawyer, Erico Monfrini cooperated with athree-man Federal Government team —Dodo,ex-Attorney-General of the Federation Mr.Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) and EFCC’sformer secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Akonmaye.A source within the agency said: “We areprobing the whereabouts of £22.5m(N6.18billion) loot of the late Head of State,Gen. Sani Abacha which was recovered fromthe Island of Jersey. The EFCC cannot locatewhere the money was remitted to.“According to records, the late Head of Stateallegedly stashed the funds through aLebanese called Bhojwani. But when the Officeof the AGF was alerted by a whistleblower, thegovernment of ex-President GoodluckJonathan opened discussion with the Attorney-General of the Island of Jersey.“The AG of the Island of Jersey cooperatedfully with the government, leading to therepatriation of the £22.5m. We want to knowwhere the money is; we need records fromthose involved.“We are inviting Damian Dodo, who played akey role in securing the £22.5m (N6.18billion)loot for the Federal Government to give thedetails.”According to the source, it was uncertain ifthe adminhiistration of former presidentGoodluck Jonathan collected the $400millionAbacha loot also kept in Jersey Island.“There is also uncertainty about $400millionAbacha loot on the Island. The government ofIsland of Jersey pledged to repatriate thestashed funds and even initiated a processtowards that. As I speak with you, no one canaccount for the $400million.“What we have been hearing is that theGovernment of Island of Jersey wasdemanding a proportionate part of the funds.Again, there is uncertainty whether the lootwas remitted or is diverted or still on theIsland.“This is why the EFCC team is stepping upinvestigation into Abacha loot on this tinyisland,” the source said.Dodo told The Nation correspondent lastnight that: “The EFCC was part of thenegotiation for the repatriation of the £22.5m(N6.18billion) loot; it should just go throughits records instead of calling for my head overnothing. The former Secretary of EFCCrepresented the commission at every stage ofthe recovery.“The terms of agreement were clearly spelt outand the Federal Government provided theaccount in which the recovered funds shouldbe paid. At inter-governmental level, the EFCCcan ask the Federal Government to contact theGovernment of Island of Jersey for alltransaction records.“I have nothing to hide. No repatriationnegotiation was done under the carpet at all.We did our best for this nation in recoveringthe looted funds. The Government of Island ofJersey wanted the substantial part of themoney and we said ‘no’. We said Nigerianeeded the money more than the Island ofJersey.“It is just vendetta. I have nothing to hide.They have searched all my accounts in orderto find out whether or not I transferred moneyto Adoke. They could not find anything againstme. I think they are after the former AGF at allcost.“The EFCC was involved from the beginning tothe end, why can’t they check their recordsinstead of scandalising me.Reacting to the $400 million still hidden onthe Island of Jersey, Dodo said: “They shouldget in touch with the Government of Island ofJersey.”The ex-AGF who recently spoke at theopening ceremony of the 8th Edition of theNational Seminar on Economic Crimes heldat the EFCC training school in Abuja,mentioned the recovery of the money butdeclined to give details.“Only recently, we negotiated the recovery andrepatriation of the sum of £22.5m from theIsland of Jersey, being the proceeds of moneylaundered from Nigeria.“I wish to seize this opportunity to commendthe Attorney-General of Jersey for the supportand cooperation we received and urge otherjurisdictions to also extend to us, the muchneeded cooperation to enable us repatriatestolen assets within their jurisdictions.
“Our experience has shown that despiteinternational condemnation of corruption andmoney laundering, many jurisdictions wherestolen assets to victim states or imposestringent conditions for its repatriation withattendant negative consequences on victimstates.“We also intend to vigorously pursue stolenassets and the confiscation of otherinstrumentalities of crime within the country bystrengthening our confiscatory and forfeiturelaws,” the ex-AGF said.The EFCC recently increased its temple inthe ongoing investigations into the famousHalliburton scam. The spokesman of theagency, Wilson Uwujaren, said Dodo hadbeen initially questioned for eight hours inconnection to the investigation.
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