The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), an organization that focuses on social rights and anti-corruption work in Nigeria, has urged Donald Trump, the incoming president of the United States, to track down and refund the proceeds of Corruption in the U.S. connected to Nigerian public officials. SERAP also urged him to identify and publish the names of former and current Nigerian public officials suspected to be responsible for corruption and the depositing of its proceeds in US banks. It also requested temporary U.S. travel bans for these individuals under existing presidential proclamations.
According to SERAP, the United States is required by the relevant provisions of the United Nations Convention against Corruption to track down, freeze, and seize the proceeds of corruption from Nigeria that are located in the United States or otherwise under US jurisdiction, as well as to return the assets to Nigeria. The organization emphasized that this is crucial to fighting Poverty and achieving Nigeria’s Sustainable Development goals as corruption continues to be a major obstacle to governance and socio-economic rights in the country.
Repatriation of $52.88 million represents a small portion.
This request follows the recent repatriation of $52.88 million in forfeited corruption gains linked to Diezani Alison-Madueke, Nigeria former minister of Petroleum resources in Nigeria. Since 2023 when the US Department of Justice announced final resolution of a duo of civil asset forfeiture cases against Alison-Madueke and her associates, this is the first time part of the asset are repatriated. In a letter written by Kolawole Oluwadare, the deputy director of SERAP, the group states that this sum is but a small portion of the over $500 billion that has allegedly been stolen from Nigeria and is in the United States.
Moreover, the group expressed worry that corruption in Nigeria continues to be a significant barrier to rule of law, sustainable development, and the efficient exercise of socioeconomic rights. SERAP further said that putting the suggested actions into practice will help to overcome these governance issues. It is worth noting that the recent $52.88 million repatriation follows several other instances where the US government has demonstrated its commitment to the agreement to support the repatriation and government efforts to combat corruption.
U.S. efforts in repatriating looted assets linked to Nigerian officials.
In February 2023, the U.S. signed an agreement with Nigeria to repatriate approximately $954,807. This fund is reportedly linked to the kleptocracy of Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, the former Bayelsa State governor. As part of its Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative, the U.S. Department of Justice verified that these assets were forfeited in order to make sure that stolen public funds were returned. Also, in November 2022, the United States repatriated more than $20.6 million in corruption gains linked to former Nigerian military leader General Sani Abacha. This was the latest in a string of recoveries connected to Abacha’s government, which was characterized by massive embezzlement of public funds.
Earlier in August 2022, the United States had previously repatriated over $23 million of the looted cash linked to Abacha. As things stand, the United States has repatriated around $332.4 million in the Abacha case alone. These consistent efforts by the US highlight its unwavering anti-corruption posture and commitment to international collaboration in combating financial crimes. SERAP call to Trump serves as a call to action for the pending repatriation of funds linked to various Nigerian officials who have been implicated in corruption cases.
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While there have been notable successes in recovering stolen assets, many funds remain in U.S. jurisdictions, awaiting legal processes for repatriation. The case of Diezani Alison-Madueke exemplifies this, with additional assets tied to her are still undergoing legal processes in the U.S., with repatriation yet to be finalized. Similarly, in the case of Sani Abacha, significant portions of his illicit wealth remain to be repatriated. Also, the over $3 million in corruption proceeds located in the US related to James Onanefe Ibori, the former governor of Nigeria’s oil-rich Delta State, restrained by the US government in 2012 is still pending.