*Buhari Sends EFCC Chairman, Minister of Justice To Get Back Our Money
At last, all appears set for the repatriation of over $200billion
stashed away by some former governors, ex-ministers and other former
public officers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Some mansions belonging to some Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) and
their cronies or fronts may also be seized, a well informed source
revealed.
In hiding for stashing away cash or acquiring properties in the UAE are
seven former governors, six former ministers, a fleeing presidential
aide implicated in the $2.1billion arms deals, ex-military chiefs under
probe, agents/fronts of some of these public officers and five
chieftains of PDP.
A Presidency team, comprising Minister of Justice and Attorney-General,
Mr. Abubakar Malami, Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu and crack
detectives from the anti-graft agency, have started comparing collated
intelligence notes on the PEPs with their UAE counterparts.
The EFCC officials arrived in Dubai on Saturday. The Minister left Abuja yesterday to join the team.
According to The Nation, it was learnt that the AGF had barely returned
from an official assignment when an urgent travel arrangement was made
for him.
The delegation went to UAE in line with an agreement with the Federal Government.
President Muhammadu Buhari in January signed a “Judicial Agreement on
Extradition, Transfer of Sentenced Persons, Mutual Legal Assistance on
Criminal Matters, and Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal and Commercial
Matters, which includes the recovery and repatriation of stolen
wealth”.
A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The Federal Government
team has met with those from the UAE on intelligence sharing, the list
of those on EFCC radar, the number of highly-placed Nigerians with fat
accounts in UAE and those with choice properties in Marina (Dubai), Bur
Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha.
”Some of the former governors include one from the South-South, two from
Northcentral, two from the Northeast, one from the Northwest, and one
from the Southwest.
“A former-governor had made botched attempts to transfer about
$517million loot to Dominican Republic because UAE law is now strict.
“More than six ex-ministers and a former presidential aide, who is on
the run over the $2.1billion arms deals, were said to have acquired
choice mansions and malls in UAE. One of the former ministers, who was
alleged to own two houses in Dubai, was said to have served as a front
for a former First Lady.
“Another ex-minister had bought some malls through a few cronies in Dubai. The list of such agents is being screened.
“Certainly, the anti-graft agency has tightened the noose on these former public officers and there is no hiding place for them.
“The success of the collaboration between the Federal Government team
and the UAE Government will determine when EFCC will release the
concessions on some of these PEPs. Very soon, we will unveil these
ex-political office holders.”
According to sources, the government delegation discovered that many
highly-placed Nigerians, including some ex-governors and money
laundering fronts, have fled from Dubai to Singapore, Casablanca in
Morocco, Dominican Republic and some islands in the UK and in the
Caribbean.
Another source said: “From the trip so far, many big Nigerians have
already ran away from Dubai to escape being arrested by the UAE
authorities.
“Some of the ex-governors have also avoided visiting UAE until the coast
is clear. They do not want to experience the same fate like ex-Governor
James Ibori.
“The frequency at which highly-placed Nigerians fly to Dubai for parties
has considerably reduced because they are under watch by the UAE
authorities."
A source in the government said: “Yes, the AGF and the EFCC chairman
with some top officials of the anti-graft agency are in Dubai for a
follow-up technical session on the Mutual Legal Assistance between
Nigeria and the UAE.
“I can confirm the official trip and it is meant to recover looted funds.”
