Nigeria rejects U.S. senator's query over $300 mln Abacha loot repatriation

By Libby George
LAGOS, April 10 (Reuters) - Nigeria's anti-graft agency has
criticised a letter from a powerful U.S. senator questioning the
return to Nigeria of more than $300 million in funds looted by
former military ruler General Sani Abacha.
The dispute, relating to a tri-partite agreement signed in
February between the United States, the British dependency of
Jersey and Nigeria, casts doubt on the extent to which the
United States will aid efforts to move cash back to the West
African country.
Abacha ruled Africa's largest oil producer from 1993 until
his death in 1998. Corruption watchdog Transparency
International estimates he stole as much as $5 billion of public
money during that time, though he was never charged with
corruption while he was alive.
Nigeria has been working with governments worldwide in
recent years to help repatriate some of the funds stolen by
Abacha and boost its finances.
President Muhammadu Buhari has also made tackling corruption
a priority since taking office in 2015. Endemic graft among the
political elite dating back decades has left most Nigerians
mired in poverty, despite the country being Africa's biggest
economy.
U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley earlier this month wrote to the
head of the U.S. Justice Department's anti-money laundering unit
asking for proof that funds returned to Nigeria would go toward
infrastructure projects, as its government has stated.
Grassley accused Ibrahim Magu, head of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Attorney General Abubakar
Malami of using their roles as an "enforcement arm against
anyone voicing opposition to Buhari's government."
The EFCC, in a statement issued on Friday, said it "would
not be dragged into any controversy over an allegation that has
no fact or any iota of proof."
"The Commission remains focused on its mandate against
economic and financial crimes and will not be deterred by
spurious allegations from individuals with hidden agenda," EFCC
spokesman Tony Orilade said in the statement.
Grassley said "it seems odd that the (U.S.) DOJ would help
facilitate the payment of $320 million to the Nigerian
government without first insisting on proper safeguards to
prevent the further misuse of funds."
"Given all these circumstances, it is critical for Congress
to understand what steps the United States government is taking,
before it helps transfer hundreds of millions of dollars to
Nigeria, to ensure that the money is not fuelling more
corruption and government abuses."
A spokesman for Malami also rejected Grassley's allegations,
and said the government's anti-corruption battle was "impartial,
objective and non-discriminatory."