A political group in Nigeria has noted that the American University of Nigeria owned by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is a product of corruption.
The Initiative to Save Democracy (ISD) told journalists on Monday that it was in possession of United States Senate, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations report by the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs that reveals how Mr Abubakar bribed to establish the university.
The committee that was chaired by Senator Carl Levin revealed in 2010 how Mr Abubakar through one of his wives, Jennifer Douglas, illegally transferred over $40 million to offshore accounts.
“In addition, two of the offshore corporations wire transferred about $14 million over five years to American University in Washington, DC, to pay for consulting services related to the development of a Nigerian university founded by Mr. Abubakar.
“American University accepted the wire transfers without asking about the identity of the offshore corporations or the source of their funds, because under current law, the University had no legal obligation to inquire,” Levin said at the time.
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Specifically, the report said Mrs Jennifer Douglas (Jennifer Atiku Abubakar), an American citizen, helped her husband bring over $40 million in suspect funds into the United States through wire transfers sent by offshore corporations to US bank accounts.
In 2004, the then President Bush barred Mr Atiku and other corrupt politically exposed persons from being issued visa to the United States.
According to James Akinloye, President of the ISD, Mr Atiku Abubakar should be in jail now.
“How do you own a school affiliated to the American University in Washington DC but cannot step your foot on US soil?” he quizzed.
“Mr Atiku is the face of corruption and anything he has built or established with Nigerian funds is a byproduct of corruption,” he noted.
“Mr Atiku should be in jail. He should not be contesting an election and that is why the United States and international community will never take us seriously.
The group urged Nigerians to ignore Mr Abubakar’s ambition to become President in 2019, stressing that, it will only taint the image of the country.
“Nigerians must not allow themselves to be fooled by Mr Atiku’s money, he is only plotting how to plunder the treasury and we must not allow it.
