Monday, October 5, 2026

Abacha Loot: Federal government appoints CSO to monitor spendings

It is not immediately clear if the move was part of the loot repatriation deal with the U.S.

• December 25, 2020
Nigeria's Attorney General, Abubakar Malami [Photo Credit: BusinessDay]
Nigeria’s Attorney General, Abubakar Malami [Photo Credit: BusinessDay]

The Federal Executive Council has selected a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) to monitor the appropriation of over $311million recovered in February from funds looted by the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha.

The recovered funds had been earmarked for infrastructural projects such as the 2nd Niger Bridge, Abuja to Kano Expressway and Lagos to Ibadan Expressway.  

CLEEN Foundation, an Abuja Based CSO, which focuses on promoting public safety, security and accessible justice, was selected to oversee the spending.

This announcement was made on Thursday by a Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, a media assistant to Attorney-General Abubakar Malami.

Mr. Gwandu said that the involvement of a CSO was  to increase transparency in the management of the funds.

In April, the Attorney General’s office had disclosed that the country recovered over $311 million of the stolen funds by the country’s former military ruler from the United States after an agreement was signed in February by the concerned parties.

It is not immediately clear if the appointment of a CSO to monitor deployment of the loot was part of the agreement signed with U.S. government where the funds are being repatriated.

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

Nigerian Bar Association

States

Independence: NBA urges Nigerians to expect better future

The NBA said that ordinary Nigerians should be deriving benefit from the subsidy removal rather than hardship.

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Oko-Olowo highway crash

States

Kwara: One killed in Oko-Olowo highway crash

At least one person was killed while others sustained injuries after a commercial bus caught fire on the Oko-Olowo Expressway, Iye-Maja Junction in Ilorin, Kwara, on Sunday.

President Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro

World

Brazil’s presidential election goes to run-off as Bolsonaro, Lula seek win

Brazil’s election held over the weekend will go to a run-off because no candidate secured the 50 per cent threshold required by the constitution to win the race.

Nationwide League One logo

Sport

NLO Cup league format to guarantee more home, away fixtures

The Nationwide League One has introduced a home-and-away league format for its revamped NLO Cup to provide participating clubs with more competitive match opportunities.

Kwara United

Sport

Kwara United defeat 10-man Ranchers Bees 2-1 in Ilorin

Kwara United of Ilorin came from behind to defeat 10-man Ranchers Bees of Kaduna 2-1 in their Nigeria Premier Football League Matchday 7 encounter on Sunday in Ilorin.

U.S. Marines

World

U.S. marine arrested for alleged murder of woman in Japan

A U.S. marine was arrested for allegedly robbing and killing a 39-year-old woman in her hotel room in Naha City on Okinawa Island, Japan, on Sunday.

Peter Mbah

Economy

Association trains 267 youths, provides N13 million start-up support

Ezeagu in Diaspora International Association has empowered 267 youths in Enugu with vocational and digital skills and provided N13.5 million in start-up packages.