President Muhammadu Buhari has announced the recovery of N152 billion looted funds between January and December, 2021.
He also announced other recoveries to include $386 million, 1.1 million pounds and 1.7 million Saudi Riyals.
The president disclosed this in an interview with Bloomberg.
“Starting with our whistle blowing policy enacted in my first year in office, hundreds of millions in stolen funds have been returned. Working with our international partners, hundreds of millions of various currencies have been returned from abroad – primarily from the UK, US, and Switzerland – and used as social and welfare funds distributed directly to the poorest during the covid pandemic and the provision of long-delayed infrastructure – roads, bridges, rail, and power.”
“As an illustration, monetary recoveries (January-December) 2021 show that more N152 billion has been recovered. Dollar recoveries for the year amount to over USD 386 million; GBP, more than 1.1 million; Euro, about 157,000; Saudi Riyals about 1.7 million, some more in digital and other currencies.
Buhari also said the anti-corruption feat achieved by his government not possible during the preceding administrations because of the fear that looted funds might be re-looted.
“Those partners refused to return these monies held for decades to previous Nigerian administrations in the certainty they would simply be re-stolen. They changed their approach with us because they knew my administration could be trusted,” he added.
