The United States government has threatened to withdraw the repatriated $308 million looted from Nigeria by late Gen Sani Abacha during his 5-year-regime and laundered in the United States if President Buhai-led administration re-loots the funds.
The threat was issued following the repatriation pact that FG signed with the US and the government of Jersey on February 4, 2020 to return the stolen funds.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which was among the parties involved in the pact disclosed that US government threatened to withdraw the loot if the present Nigerian leaders re-looted the funds.
Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, EFCC secretary made the disclosure during an Anti-corruption walk which held in Lagos last Friday. The commission partnered with Ministry of Youths and Sports Development and National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) for the Anti-corruption walk.
Olukoyede said, “Two weeks ago, I was privileged to be on the team that went to recover $308million for Nigeria. They are from Washington.
“You know what the Oyinbos told us when we wanted to sign the treaty? They had the audacity to look into our eyes and said: ‘If you people steal this money again, we will collect it back from you.’
“I stood up against them, I said: ‘We are not a corrupt nation. A few people might have stolen money, but Nigeria is not a corrupt nation. We have a lot of youths who are not corrupt.
“And you know it is not their fault, (they said that) because they have seen recovered loot being looted again.”
This is not the first time Nigeria will be recovering funds looted by Sani Abacha as money has been recovered from UK, France and the latest US.
The total funds recovered by Abacha’s 5-year-regime is estimated at $5 billion.
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Olukoyede admonished the youths to shun corruption in all its forms
Speaking to NYSC members and other youths present at the walk, Olukoyede said: “We have arrested so many youths. If we keep putting youths in jail, what is going to be the future of Nigeria?
“So, we want to encourage you; where ever you see corrupt practice, say no to it. Resist it. If anyone is trying to lure you to it, say no. You can win by integrity. Integrity pays….
“Very soon as Youth Corp members will start job-hunting. But where are the jobs? Why aren’t you getting the jobs? A few people have plundered the country’s resources.
‘But let me assure them that at the EFCC, we are not relenting. Let corruption fight back, we will stand against it. We will fight corruption. We will send them to jail. We are not going to give them any chance again in Nigeria.”
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