$954,807.40: ANEEJ hails Nigeria, US agreement to recover loot

Forum 1 year ago

$954,807.40: ANEEJ hails Nigeria, US agreement to recover loot

A nonprofit making organisation, the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, Thursday, hailed the signing of bilateral agreement between Nigeria and United States of America, USA, for the repatriation of $954,807.40 assets recovered from the late Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, to the people of Bayelsa State.

The commendation was contained in a statement signed by the Executive Director, Rev David Ugolor.

ANEEJ while lauding the agreement as a welcomed development disclosed that ANEEJ will work with the Bayelsa State NGOs Forum, BANGOF, on how the recovered loot will be utilized and in what areas that the people in the State would benefit.

According to ANEEJ, Alamieyeseigha and various companies related to him were convicted in Nigeria for related criminal conduct, and based on the judgment of the US court, and the current assets were forfeited because of corruption, abuse of public office, money laundering and other illegal acts in violation of Nigerian and US law. Both the Nigerian government and the government of Bayelsa State today (Thursday) held a public engagement to formally announce the repatriation of the asset.

The statement reads in part, “The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, has welcomed the signing of bilateral agreement between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the United States of America for the repatriation of $954,807.40 assets recovered from the former governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, for the benefit of Bayelsa people.

“ANEEJ will work closely with the Federal Ministry of Justice, Bayelsa State government, and the United States Government to monitor the use of the recovered loot to ensure that the poor who are the victims of corruption, get the desired benefit.

“We have worked with the Bayelsa State NGOs Forum (BANGOF) to organize stakeholders meetings in the past where it was decided that the money should be channeled to improving primary health care facilities in the state as enshrined in the UNCAC and Global Forum on Asset Recovery (GFAR) principles. This is against the initial proposal for the building of Judges quarters initially proposed by the previous administration in the State. We are glad that effort has yielded the expected result.

“We commend the Nigerian government through the office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice for the effort to bring this recovery to reality following many years of court action and negation between the Nigerian government and the US government.”