We don’t have figures of looted funds abroad – AGF

From GODWIN TSA, Abuja.

The Federal Government at the weekend said it was difficult to arrive at the exact amount of looted funds stashed outside the country by public office holders.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN) disclosed this yesterday in Abuja at a Media Roundtable on open Government Partnership [OGP].
He attributed the difficulty to a number of factors including the complexity and dynamics of legislations, culture and policies of various countries regarding the repatriation of the funds.
According to him, “It is impossible to give a clear figure against the background of complexity, differences of rules, approach and processes at international communities. Also, investigations which are ongoing and keep changing, and there are also cases in court with different jurisdictions and dynamics, so it is impossible to arrive at an exact amount”.
The AGF however, noted that the present administration was committed in recovering all stolen funds and will continue to synergise with foreign governments and their anti-corruption agencies to ensure not only that the funds are returned but they support the nation’s crusade against corruption by ensuring looted funds don’t find their ways into their countries.
He explained that the Open Government Partnership to which Nigeria became a signatory last July would enhance the nation’s drive in this regard. “We will work with the network of OGP implementing countries for technical support especially in repatriating our stolen funds that are currently stashed away abroad.
“It is a process of continuous learning, collaboration and improvement for all of us and I invite the media to join hands with the government to communicate all of these innovative ongoing reform efforts to Nigerians in a very simple language not just at the federal and states levels, but also in the local communities”, he said.
Malami further disclosed, he has given approval for the establishment of a functional project office in the Ministry of Justice, specifically designated to foster partnership and collaboration with stakeholders who may want to know what the government is doing under the OGP initiative.
On the complaint that assets declared by public officers at the Code of Conduct Bureau are not made public, the minister urged Nigerians to make use of the Freedom of Information Act, which enables Nigerians to freely access information from any agency of the governmen