Anti-corruption summit: Over 60 prominent Nigerians to lose cash, assets in the UK

If the report by The Nation is anything to go by,
over 60 prominent Nigerians may lose assets
and cash laundered in the United Kingdom.

According to the report, the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) is set
submit a list of those convicted, under probe,
fleeing suspects and those watch-listed to the
relevant agencies in the UK.

President Buhari and other world leaders at the
Anti-corruption summit in London
Already, the UK is said to be in custody of over
£40 million stolen funds recovered from some
Nigerian government officials in 2008. This is
apart from about £22.5million recovered from the
Island of Jersey.

Among those that will be affected ex-governors
Joshua Dariye, Chimaroke Nnamani, Lucky
Igbinedion, and the duo of Diepreye
Alamieyeseigha and Abubakar Audu who are
late..

Others are some former ministers either on trial
or under investigation and some indicted top
bankers during the 2008 financial crisis.
British Prime Minister, David Cameron, has
reportedly indicated his readiness to collaborate
with the administration of President Muhammadu
Buhari on the recovery process of the cash and
assets.

A top source, who spoke on the issue said:
“With the pledge of the British Prime Minister, we
will just go to our shelf and reel out the list of
those with suspected loot and laundered funds in
the United Kingdom.

“Already, we have the dossiers of all these
suspects right from the days of Mallam Nuhu
Ribadu as the EFCC chairman.

“We can talk of about 60 on our radar, including
about 13 governors, former ministers, oil subsidy
suspects, indicted top bankers and some of those
involved in the $15billion arms deals.

“We will recover all the stolen funds. In fact, very
soon, we may start publishing the photographs of
the identified assets of some of these suspects.

“In fact, the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim
Magu, met with the Special Fraud Office in
London on Thursday.

“We can seize these assets under the Interim
Forfeiture Order in Sections 26 and 29 of the
EFCC Act.

The section reads: “Any property subject to
forfeiture under this Act may be seized by the
commission in the following circumstances- (a)
the seizure is incidental to an arrest or search; or
(b) in the case of property liable to forfeiture
upon process issued by the Court following an
application made by the Commission in
accordance with the prescribed rules.

“Whenever property is seized under any of the
provisions of this Act, the Commission may-(a)
place the property under seal; or (b) remove the
property to a place designated by the
Commission.

“Properties taken or detained under this section
shall be deemed to be in custody of the
Commission, subject only to an order of a Court.”

This move is part of the gains of President
Muhammadu Buhari’s participation in the recently
held International Anti-Corruption Summit in
London.