The last is yet to be heard about
looted funds traced to ex- Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, as
£20m(N5.12billion) laundered through some lawyers in Britain is being
probed.
Two suspects, including a former Attorney-General of Kogi State, have been arrested in London in connection with the loot
The two suspects, who were trying to
convert a 1994 CBN Traveller’s Cheque worth £2,000 at Travelex are
undergoing interrogation in London.
Upon a search in the suspects’ hotel in London, it was gathered, about £78,000 traveller’s cheque was found on them.
There were indications that the UK
Police may invoke the Mutual Legal Assistance to seek the extradition of
Mohammed Sanni, who is allegedly linked to the probe.
A source said: “The arrest of two
Nigerian suspects (including a former Attorney-General of Kogi State)
has triggered the latest round of investigation.
“With the £20million loot in their care,
they decided to test the waters with £80,000. So, the two suspects took
£2,000 Traveller’s Cheque purchased by the CBN in 1994 to Travelex to
get some cash but the desk officers were suspicious because of the time
frame.
“The attendants alerted security
agencies who arrested the suspects and later searched their hotel rooms
where additional £78,000 worth of traveler’s cheque was found.
“The security agencies are working on
the suspicion that the suspects were on a laundering mission in the UK
as part of moves to repatriate the alleged £20million stashed by the
late Head of State.”
The Press Bureau of the Metropolitan
Police last night said: “We have contacted officers to get any details
of this incident. We will reply in due course as and when we have them.”
The Abachas were alleged to have laundered about $3billion cash.
The Federal Government has so far recovered more than $2.550billion.
The government is trying to trace the whereabouts of $450million hidden in many countries.
A Federal Government counsel on
repatriation of Abacha loot, Mr. Tim Daniel, had said about
$2.550billion of $3billion had been so far recovered by the Federal
Government from the late Abacha’s accounts and his family.
He gave the breakdown as follows:
voluntary surrender ($750m); Switzerland ($570m); Jersey ($380m);
UK($150m); Luxembourg ($300m); and Liechtenstein ($400m).
A few months after the 13th year
anniversary of Abacha’s death, the Federal Government recovered£22.5m
(N6.18billion) loot which the late Head of State, allegedly stashed in
Jersey.
The £20million being investigated is alleged to be part of the outstanding $450million.
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All these are Only being read on paper.When the money gets into Nigeria,the hawks are already waiting to steal and squander it again!
ReplyDeleteThis our Rulers are killers,see the masses suffering & dying of poverty while these Gluttons in govt.are stashing our money away. Is there any reason why this offence should not carry a death penalty? No they won't since the culprits are the ones making the laws. Armed robbery is a lighter offence bcos while looting the Nation's treasury,millions of citizens ate deprived of so many things. Consider the number of pple dying daily for inadequate health care or lack of it for poverty reasons. Imagine the number of well equipped hospitals 20 million pounds can build & tell me why we should continue to tolerate this in this country......Chris Abara.
ReplyDeleteAnd where is all d money already recovered? Can anybody give account of it?
ReplyDeleteKudos to the attendants that were able to use their heads. If it were in Nigeria, they would have succeeded cos the attendants would have been interested in the tip they will receive. You can imagine the magnitude of theft that Abacha's regime perpetrated!
ReplyDeleteImagine how much 'water' would have gone down the drain from IBB regime up to date, yet the masses are suffering innocently. They privatized all Government parastatals, failed to create jobs, destroyed people's means of livelihood[like Fashola on okada and tricle], earn fat salaries but refused to pay N18,000 minimum wage, to crown it all, kill innocent citizens to actualize their selfish dreams[Boko Haram]
Our God is not asleep! Expect your reward in due course of time.
I am sure that until we all rise up against our leader's criminal act, our economy will be in perpetual siege. Honestly, our leaders knew the people's weakness, i.e. fear of death and transparently exploiting it to continue in their heinous act of killing us by installment. Lamentation! Lamentation!! Lamentation!!!
ReplyDeleteplease leave Abache alone. what of GEJ loots?....the crude oil tappers in GEJ village?
ReplyDeleteWia is those that has been recovered.Goodluck use it to settle ASUU or use to campaign for GEJ 2015
ReplyDeletewht paina nd surprise me is dat whn d moni gets to 9ja, dey will share it among demsefs nd leave d poor nigerins to die in abject poverty. U can imagine d amount so far recovered frm stashed nd looted moni by ex-presidoo nd yet nigerians re not living a poverty free life nd dey will be up dia expecting poor nigerians to applause for moni dey dn't knw whn it will be spent. I jst hv l questn for our politicians who struggle for re-election, why re our roads so dilapidated whereas we hv such huge amount recovered frm abacha's looted moni. Wicked beast
ReplyDelete