The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday in Austria said it recovered loots totalling N738.9 billion or $2.9 billion between May, 2015 and October 20, 2017.
The anti-graft agency said the monies recovered were from Nigeria’s former oil minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, the FCT Police Command among others.
The agency’s acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, stated this at the ongoing 7th Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption holding in Vienna.
Spokesman of the commission, Wilson Uwujaren, gave account of Magu’s engagement in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.
In a presentation titled: “International Cooperation in Relation to Technical Assistance: The Nigerian Experience”, Magu said the sum was exclusive of smaller currencies in Durham, CRA and British Pound.
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He stated that the commission had made a lot of recoveries locally using the mechanism of the non-conviction based forfeiture provided under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
“Within this year alone, the commission recovered stolen assets running into several millions of US Dollars and billions in naira.
“These include the sum of $43 million recovered from Diezani Alison-Madueke, Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum and N2 billion spread in seven accounts within three Nigerian banks laundered from the Federal Capital Territory Police Command Salary Accounts”, he explained.
Magu, who was said to be a panelist at the Implementation Review Group attended by over 100 delegates, detailed the Nigerian efforts in asset recovery.
He said the country had also made progress in specific cases related to Abacha loot, Malabu Oil, Diezani and associates, and the arms procurement scandal.
These efforts, he said, cut across Switzerland, USA, UK, UAE, Jersey Island and Panama.
In his recommendations, the EFCC boss sought improved coordination and cooperation among state parties in asset recovery.
He said this could be done through the consideration and adoption of measures that would remove traditional barriers such as bank secrecy in line with Article 46(8) and dual Criminality Article 46(9) as well as simplify legal technicalities in the recovery and repatriation of stolen funds.
He further sought measures to reduce cost of recovery of assets for developing countries and ensure speedy return of all stolen assets to victim states in line with the current resolution sponsored by Nigeria.
He also called for sanction and prosecution of any financial institution that violates AML/CFT measures and the maintenance of a public register on beneficial ownership.
Meanwhile, Nigeria has received global commendation for its doggedness in tracing and recovery of its solen assets, according to the commission’s spokesman.
Uwujaren said the commendation came at a meeting between Magu and Dr Nassar Abaalkhail, the Head of International Collaboration, National Anti-Corruption Commission, Saudi Arabia.
The meeting, which held on the sidelines of the conference, followed Magu’s presentation, Uwujaren said.
He quoted Abaalkhail as saying that Nigeria’s efforts at loot recovery were remarkable.
“From what I have heard, Nigeria’s effort at asset tracing is remarkable. Nigeria is indeed a role model for countries, including developed countries.
“We have so much to learn from Nigeria”, he said.
Uwujaren said the Iranian National Focal Point for the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, Dr Mohsen Mardal, also commended the Nigerian presentation.
Similarly, the Commissioner, Sierra Leone Anti-Corruption Agency, Ady Macauley, said the EFCC was not only “formidable, but a pride to the African States”.
“My men were in Nigeria a fortnight ago to understudy your operations, I must confess, we have a lot to learn in investigation, prosecution and asset recovery”.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
