£315m Abacha loot ‘coming back to Nigeria’

£315m Abacha loot ‘coming back to Nigeria’

THE States of Jersey, the biggest territory in the Channels Island, is set to return £315 million loot by the former military head of state, the late General Sani Abacha, to Nigeria.


Micheal Birt, the bailiff of Jersey, disclosed this at a dinner in honour of Dalhatu Tafida, Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK), who was on a state visit to the Island.

Birt, who doubles as the Island’s civic head of state and ceremonial head, is the highest-ranking official in the Jersey order of precedence.

Famous for its transparent banking services, the island had previously repatriated £140 million pounds of the loot.

Raj Bhojwani, an Indian businessman, reportedly laundered the money on behalf of Abacha.

Bhojwani is currently serving an eight-year sentence in a UK prison.

Speaking on Jersey’s financial services and global perception of the Island, Birt explained that repatriation of the loot was in line with ongoing campaign against money laundering.

“We have done a lot to clean up the image of the Island as a safe haven for stolen wealth,” he said.

Responding, Tafida commended Birt for the Islands transparent banking sector and assured him of Nigeria’s commitment to fighting corruption and strengthening its anti-graft agencies.

Source: Tribune