A socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has informed President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami to release a copy of the agreement Nigerian government recently signed with the United States (US) for the repatriation of $23 million stolen by late General Sani Abacha.
The US government had last week signed an agreement with the Federal Government to repatriate $23 million of Abacha loot to Nigeria.
SERAP expressed “concern that the repatriated $23 million Abacha loot is vulnerable to corruption and mismanagement. A substantial part of the estimated $5 billion returned Abacha loot since 1999 may have been diverted, restolen or mismanaged, and in any case remains unaccounted for.”
According to a signed statement from SERAP deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said, “By the combined reading of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], the Freedom of Information Act, and the country’s international obligations, there are transparency obligations imposed on your government to publicly publish the agreement on the $23 million Abacha loot.”
“Providing us with a copy of the agreement with the US, and publishing the agreement would allow Nigerians to scrutinise it, and to monitor the spending of the repatriated $23 million Abacha loot to ensure that the money is not mismanaged, diverted or stolen.”
“The Nigerian Constitution, Freedom of Information Act, and the country’s anticorruption and human rights obligations rest on the principle that citizens should have access to information regarding their government’s activities.
“Your government has a responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability in how any repatriated stolen funds are spent, to reduce vulnerability to corruption and mismanagement.
“SERAP also urges you to provide details of the transparency and accountability mechanisms that have been put in place to ensure that the repatriated funds are not mismanaged, diverted or re-stolen.
“We would, therefore, be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.
“Publishing a copy of the agreement signed with the US would also promote transparency and accountability in the spending of public funds. Nigerians are entitled to their constitutionally and internationally recognised human right to information.
“Publishing a copy of the agreement would ensure that persons with public responsibilities are answerable to the people for the performance of their duties including the management of repatriated loot,” the statement read.