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Diezani Alison-Madueke
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British and Swiss
governments, yesterday, pledged to return looted Nigerian funds stashed away in
various personal bank accounts in their countries. The two countries also
promised to work with Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,
and other anti-graft agencies in the fight against official corruption and
theft.
The
new British High Commissioner, Mr. Paul Arkwright, and Swiss Ambassador, Mr.
Eric Mayoraz, made the promises at separate audiences with President Muhammadu
Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during the presentation of their
letters of credence.
Vanguard report continues:
President
Buhari, however, called for the speeding up of the processes of investigation,
prosecution and repatriation of public funds stolen by past corrupt public
officials and their accomplices.
Buhari
said: ‘‘Switzerland and Britain have been very helpful, indeed, in the recovery
of our assets. But we must build on what we have started.
‘‘It
is also important to send a signal to the elite that it is no longer business
as usual. I appreciate the efforts of Prime Minister David Cameron on this
issue.”
Also,
Mr. Arkwright assured the President of Britain’s preparedness to give Nigeria
the fullest support and assistance in the recovery of its looted resources.
“We
are most ready to help. We have a good team at the National Crime Agency, NCA,
working with your Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Tell us where
and how we can help and we will provide the assistance.”
Buhari
told the new Swiss Ambassador, Mr. Eric Mayoraz: “We will get our Ministry of
Justice and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to work with you to ensure that all
the stolen funds are returned safely to government coffers as quickly as
possible.”
President Buhari also
received the letters of credence of the ambassador of the State of Palestine, Mr.
Saleh Fhied Saleh; ambassador of Myanmar, Mr. Tha Aung Nyun and that of
Slovakia, Mr. Peter Holasek.
UK Crime
Agency Replies Vanguard: Diezani’s Cash Seizure Not Related To Arrest
Vanguard
report continues the United Kingdom, UK, National Crime Agency has said
that the £27,000 (₦9,180,000) seized from the former Petroleum Minister,
Diezani Alison-Madueke, was not related to her arrest.
The
agency, in response to an inquiry by Vanguard, said that cash seizure in the UK
does not need to be related to an arrest.
Furthermore,
NCA’s Press Office confirmed, in an electronic mail sent to Vanguard in Abuja
yesterday, that apart from the £27,000 recovered from the former minister,
‘smaller sums’ were also seized from two other individuals, who it declined to
name.
On
why it had not revealed the identities of those arrested along with the former
minister, the agency made it clear that it does not confirm the identities of
individuals it arrests unless there was specific operational requirement to do
so.
Vanguard
had written to the agency, Monday, asking to be availed of the time and place
where the money was seized from Alison-Madueke and when she would be charged to
court.
NCA’s mail
The
agency replied yesterday, saying: “We can confirm that £27,000 was seized from
Diezani Alison-Madueke at Westminster Magistrate’s Court along with smaller
sums from two other individuals. But we are not providing any further detail at
this time.
“Cash
seizure in the UK does not need to be related to an arrest. The NCA does not
confirm identities of individuals at arrest, unless there is a specific
operational requirement to do so.
“There
is no further information we are offering at this time.”
The
agency skipped discussion on when the Nigerians, now on bail in the UK, would
be formally charged for money laundering and bribery, fuelling speculations
that the agency had not completed their findings.
Meanwhile,
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has denied arresting one of
the oil players in the country, identified as a close business associate of the
former oil minister and Atlantic Energy Chairman, Olajide Omokore.
However,
Vanguard learned that the commission interrogated Omokore and released him on
administrative bail.
‘EFCC quizzed Omokore’
A
source in EFCC told Vanguard that Omokore reported at the commission’s
headquarters in Abuja, Monday morning, on the invitation of the agency.
The
source told Vanguard, on condition of anonymity, that the oil baron denied any
wrongdoing.
The
source told Vanguard in Abuja last night: “Omokore came and was promptly
grilled on many issues relating to what he did during the tenure of the former
minister and was released on administrative bail.”
Contacted, the spokesman
for EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said: “I am not aware of the development. Once I
have information on that I will make it available to you.”
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