UK Government Recovers $23m Abacha Loot

About $23.5 million in looted funds by allies and family of former Nigerian dictator, the late Sani Abacha, has been recovered by the National Crime Agency (NCA) of the United Kingdom. 

The NCA which said the looted funds were recovered after the USDOJ requested enforcement of the U.S. forfeiture order relating to the seized monies after nearly seven years of litigation and international negotiations to secure the recovery order, further disclosed that it is part of a wider pool of funds identified by the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) as having been stolen out of Nigeria in the 1990s by Mr Abacha and his accomplices.  

A statement shared on the U.K.’s crime agency website on Thursday May 5, also revealed that the funds have now been transferred to the Home Office of the UK for onward transmission to the USDOJ. 

Billy Beattie, Asset Denial Senior Manager at the NCA, said the civil recovery of assets is a powerful weapon in the fight against corruption.

The official also added that the NCA is committed to ensuring that the UK is not a haven for criminals to launder their proceeds of crime. 

The statement added;  

“The NCA is committed to ensuring that the UK is not a haven for criminals to launder their proceeds of crime, and the civil recovery of assets is a powerful weapon in this fight.

“We work closely with the UK and international partners to tackle the threat posed by corruption, which disproportionately impacts the poorest and most vulnerable members of society.

“We are committed to ensuring that those who perpetrate corruption do not benefit from their actions.”