The attorney general of the federation and minister of justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, has disclosed that the government recovered over N3.2 billion (£6,324,627.66) stolen funds from various jurisdictions globally between March 2021 and May 2022.
Malami stated this yesterday at the 46th session of the state house briefing organised by the presidential communications team at the presidential villa, Abuja.
The minister however said the recovered money had been spent on important infrastructure projects nationwide, including the construction of the Second Niger Bridge, Abuja-Kano Road and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, among others.
He also said the the ministry of justice had supported the federal government in various infrastructure-funding agreements, adding that the country currently grapples with a N329 billion funding gap.
On the sale of forfeited assets, the minister said the federal government generated N1, 823,788,146 from the exercise within 18-month period.
“You are aware that the president has put in place an inter-ministerial committee that was saddled with the responsibility, not only identifying the forfeited assets, but indeed disposing assets.
“That committee has been working. Within the period in consideration of 18 months, a total sum of N1,823,788,146 has been generated so far from sale of bid forms and actual sale of forfeited properties,” he said.
Malami also said his ministry had successfully processed over 350 mutual legal assistance and 50 extradition requests, including extradition proceedings against suspended DCP Abba Kyari from the United States of America.
He further said an inter-ministerial committee on the audit and recovery of years on stamp duty had so far recovered N596, 055,479.47.
“This exercise also provided job opportunities for over 1,000 professionals including lawyers, accountants, auditors and financial consultants,” he added.
