Justice minister Abubakar Malami says President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption posture and policies brought to the front burner issues of judicial reforms and independence, recovering several millions of looted funds.

Mr Malami disclosed this in Abuja during the 17th Edition of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration’s Scorecard Series on Thursday. He said that adherence to the tenets of the rule of law, deepening democratic governance practices and strengthening institutional reforms across law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies were part of the cardinal policies at the core of the Buhari regime’s agenda.

“Investors are often attracted to economies that have institutionalized functional judicial systems and where the rule of law prevails,” stated Mr Malami. “In a federation and constitutional democracy such as ours, collaboration between the federal and state governments and other stakeholders in the justice sector is critical to drive the reforms of the justice system for national development.”

According to him, the justice ministry has been strongly driving the prosecution of sexual and gender-based violence, anti-corruption drive, and increased transparency with the growth of initiatives like freedom of information, beneficial ownership disclosures and open contracting.

“There have been continued efforts to strengthen dedicated institutions to ensure data–policy nexus and inter-agency coordination and collaboration, especially via the Inter-Agency Task Team of anti-corruption agencies (IATT) platform,” said the attorney general.

In revenue generation through the sale of forfeited assets, N1.8 billion was generated “so far” by the justice ministry, said Mr Malami.

In international asset recoveries in compliance with presidential mandates and foreign judicial processes, Mr Malami revealed that the justice ministry had recovered “the sum of six million, three hundred and twenty-four thousand, six hundred and twenty-seven pounds, sixty-six pence; five million, four hundred and ninety-four thousand, seven hundred and forty-three euros, seventy-one cents; and three hundred and ninety million dollars from various jurisdictions.”

(NAN)