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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.

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