By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The Nigerian government is expected to receive the sum of $9.5m (£7m) held in a Jersey bank account and identified as “tainted property”, which will be used to fund infrastructure projects.
Jersey’s Attorney General, Mark Temple KC, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in December authorising the return of the money.
The agreement builds on two earlier arrangements between Jersey and Nigeria that led to the return of more than $300m (£230m) linked to a former military leader in the West African nation, General Sanni Abacha, popularly referred to as Abacha loot.
In January 2024, the Royal Court ruled that the funds were “more likely than not” the proceeds of corruption.
The court found they stemmed from a scheme in which third-party contractors diverted public money for the benefit of senior Nigerian officials and their associates.
Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, said the recovered assets would be used in accordance with the terms of the MOU.
He said the repatriation highlighted the success of Nigeria’s cooperation with international partners and reinforced the message that there is no safe haven for illicitly acquired wealth.
The funds will support the final stages of construction on a major highway linking Nigeria’s capital with its second-largest city, described as a vital transport route.
Temple said the return of the money demonstrated the effectiveness of Jersey’s civil forfeiture laws as a key tool in the global fight against corruption.
