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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Anti-corruption campaigners at the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Transparency International Nigeria (TI Nigeria) have praised the United Kingdom’s recovery of $9.5 million in stolen Nigerian assets, calling it a vital win against graft but insisting the funds must not vanish into opaque government coffers.
In a statement, Executive Director of CISLAC and Head of TI Nigeria, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, spotlighted the recovery as proof of real international teamwork under Nigeria’s Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) of 2022. “This is a positive demonstration of international cooperation consistent with POCA,” Rafsanjani declared, noting the law’s power to chase, freeze, seize, and claw back dirty money from abroad.
Both anti-corruption groups noted that POCA stands as Nigeria’s top weapon to stop crooks from enjoying their ill-gotten gains, especially cash stashed overseas. They stressed that successes like this one highlight the need for mutual legal aid across borders – a core POCA goal – to beef up Nigeria’s fight against the $18 billion in annual illicit outflows bleeding the nation dry.
According to Rafsanjani, Nigerians are fed up with black-box handling of recovered loot. He noted that despite billions repatriated over the years, Nigerians get little word on where the money goes.
“Citizens remain dissatisfied with the level of transparency surrounding recovered assets,” the statement hammered, pointing to civil society’s ready-made POCA-aligned checklists to stop re-looting and channel funds to real public needs.
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“We must focus not only on recovering looted funds but on blocking lapses that allow theft in the first place,” Rafsanjani urged. He slammed financial systems riddled with holes that let looters walk free, fueling poverty and crumbling roads while tarnishing Nigerians’ global image. “Nigerians often face suspicion and discrimination abroad because their information… is routinely questioned,” he added, linking it to homegrown financial rot.
To lock in accountability, the groups demand dedicated accounts for recovered cash – not dumping it into general budgets where tracking evaporates. They want public MOUs on repatriation deals, independent audits, National Assembly watchdogs, and harsh penalties for any re-looters under POCA. “Recovered assets should be lodged in dedicated accounts to enable proper tracking,” Rafsanjani insisted.
CISLAC and TI Nigeria also expressed dissatisfaction with officials, who withhold data and breed rumours. They called on the country to live up to Global Forum on Asset Recovery pledges, speed up POCA enforcement, and fix court delays that let thieves keep billions.
“This asset recovery is a positive development for Nigeria’s financial system,” Rafsanjani concluded, but only if leaders plug leaks and deliver real gains for everyday people.
