It’s Insulting For United States To Give Conditions On How Nigeria Should Spend Abacha Loot —Sagay

Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption, Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), has reacted to the return of $300m looted by the late dictator, Sani Abacha.

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, confirmed the return of the looted funds on Monday in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr Umar Gwandu.
Sagay further explained that although it was wrong to give conditions, the US resorted to that based on previous experience with returned loot which was stolen upon getting to Nigeria.

Reacting specifically as to whether it was wrong for the US to give conditions on how the money should be spent, Sagay said, “In principle, it is wrong for them (US) to do that, it undermines our sovereignty and I will almost say it’s an insult of some sort given the fact that it is our money, which was taken to their jurisdiction illegally.

“What they (US) are doing is based on experience. We have had a lot of loot; Abacha loot released in the past which was simply relooted by those in power. That happened a lot and the whole world knows that that is why they have been giving conditions.

Speaking in an interview with SaharaReporters on Monday, the professor of law said it undermines the sovereignty of Nigeria for the United States to give conditions on the use of the money by the Nigerian Government.