The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has revealed that the United States threatened the federal government to ensure that the over $308million looted and laundered abroad by former Head of State, the late Gen. Sani Abacha, is not re-stolen in Nigeria again, otherwise it would recover the money from Nigeria.
The warning was sequel to the February 4, 2020, repatriation pact the federal government signed with the US, and the government of Jersey to return the money.
The EFCC, which was also involved in the pact, said the US government warned against the money being re-looted.
The anti-graft agency’s Secretary, Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede, said this in Lagos at the weeked during an anti-corruption walk organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Olukoyede said: “Two weeks ago, I was privileged to be on the team that went to recover $308million for Nigeria. They are from Washington.
“You know what they told us when we wanted to sign the treaty? They had the audacity to look into our eyes and said: ‘If you people steal this money again, we will collect it back from you.’
“I stood up against them, I said: ‘We are not a corrupt nation. A few people might have stolen money, but Nigeria is not a corrupt nation. We have a lot of youths who are not corrupt.
“And you know it is not their fault, (they said that) because they have seen recovered loot being looted again.”
