The British High Commissioner, Mr. Bob Dewar has pledged the continued collaboration of the United Kingdom authorities in the repatriation of stolen money to Nigeria.

British High Commissioner, Mr. Bob Dewar and the EFCC Chairman, Mrs. Farida Waziri

Dewar made the pledge during a courtesy visit on the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mrs. Farida Waziri, on Friday, June 13 2008, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja. “It is very important to have an independent, credible, and effective institution like EFCC for your country’s fight against corruption and your campaign against impunity”, he said. He further opined that for Nigeria to keep pace with development demand as well as attract more foreign investments, the present momentum in the fight against corruption must not only be sustained but strengthened.

Congratulating the Executive Chairman on her appointment, the British envoy expressed optimism that Mrs. Waziri would improve on the successes already recorded by the commission in the war against corruption. He pledged his government’s continued support to EFCC especially in the area of repatriation of stolen money to Nigeria. “The U.K will be committed to continue to work closely with Nigeria and EFCC. I think that close and constructive collaboration in this area is very important”, he emphasized.

Speaking earlier while receiving the envoy, EFCC Executive Chairman noted that her confidence regarding the task ahead was borne out of her years of experience working in the anti-fraud unit of the Nigerian police. She regretted that, “Most of the problems in the country are traceable to corruption. It is a very serious problem because monies meant for developments projects end up in private pockets.”

While acknowledging that high level corruption was being perpetrated by a cabal, the EFCC boss promised to tackle the problem head on. “The situation is becoming so bad that people are beginning to think it is a way of life. People are so desperate to do anything to corrupt or be corrupted, such that many other patriotic Nigerians seem helpless. We certainly cannot accept.” She further pledged that nothing would temper her resolve to take the war on corruption to a higher level.  “We have a mission to accomplish and if we cannot totally eradicate corruption, the least we want is to reduce it to the barest minimum and that is why I want us here to be very proactive so as to nip manifestations of the problem in the bud before they germinate.”

Waziri called for the United Kingdom government’s support in intelligence gathering, stressing that EFCC’s searchlight would be beamed on officials of government at all tiers, and in agencies and parastatals.

Mr. Dewar was accompanied on the visit by the political officer in the British High Commission, Mr. James McLaughlin while the Secretary to the Commission, Mr. Emmanuel Akomaye, was also on hand to receive the delegation.

http://www.efccnigeria.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=167&Itemid=34

Fabulous! They can start off by looking into the houses Sam Egwu purchased over at the UK. The ones purchased under his name and other people's names.

Let them return Abacha's $1.3billion(130Bbillion Naira) with interest since 1998.

Thats more important than some paltry sum from ex-gov.

There should remember we still have Nigerians with good memory.

landis:

Let them return Abacha's $1.3billion(130Bbillion Naira) with interest since 1998.
There should remember we still have Nigerians with good memory.

Last week, one of the Nigerian Newspapers had it that all Abacha's loot has been returned. Maybe you can check it up for more updates. . . .

OlowoTee:

Last week, one of the Nigerian Newspapers had it that all Abacha's loot has been returned. Maybe you can check it up for more updates. . . .

Only Abacha money in Switzerland returned. Thats about $600mil.

The Big chunk $1.3bill is still in UK.

UK govt should return our money asap. Many of us keep good records.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4230884.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1210350.stm

The British financial authorities have reprimanded fifteen City of London banks for their handling of accounts linked to associates of the former Nigerian military leader Sani Abacha.

Banking regulators said the accounts were used for transactions of more than one billion dollars between 1996 and the year 2000
.

Like the priest who tells his congregation "do as I say but not as I do", 23 banks in London are keeping $1.3 billion (repeat, $1.3 billion) of General Abacha's stolen money despite the many sermons of probity and accountability that Western governments preach to Africa. Appeals by Obasanjo's government to get the finds repatriated to Nigeria have fallen on deaf British ears, including those of the Tony Blair government.

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-82064429.html

Dated 2001.  this is 2008,  any current information that could actually help better inform persons here??

@Kobo good eye, lol. I have become tired of reading useless EFCC news, the funniest one was when the new person said she would "step on toes" as if it is something she had to look for. How long now and them never find leg to mach? Even if UK wants to corporate which they have no legal obligation to do in the first place, trust our AGP, he will twart any such move. When UK offered to send scotland yard into the country to do an investigation what happened? The government is just not serious about fighting corruption and neither is EFCC that is why i get infuriated when they come and give us tales by moonlight.

All the funds sent back don't seem to have any positive effects of the average populace

There need to be clear cut plans on what to do with the monies and it shld be evident!

I wonder where all the money goes to, Maybe via a pipe leading to OBJ@OTTA, or via IBORI's throat

or maybe to fund Aondoaka's corruption ridden mouth or Soludo's greedy fingers.

Method-Man:

All the funds sent back don't seem to have any positive effects of the average populace

There need to be clear cut plans on what to do with the monies and it shld be evident!

I wonder where all the money goes to, Maybe via a pipe leading to OBJ@OTTA, or via IBORI's throat

or maybe to fund Aondoaka's corruption ridden mouth or Soludo's greedy fingers.

well said.
In the case of swiss transfer back to Nigeria. They specifically demand, they want to see plan how the money to be spent.
The Swiss Govt got WorldBank involved yet $600mil disappearred without any trace.

The governments of Nigeria and Switzerland signed an agreement on September 1 last year under which the World Bank was to verify the use of the Abacha funds.

In a statement from the Nigerian capital, Abuja, the World Bank said that of 51 projects reviewed, 23 were completed, 26 were at various stages of completion and two had been stopped.

-->

Missbach added that many mistakes could have been avoided if Nigerian civil society had been involved from the outset.

The World Bank report notes that the repatriated Abacha funds were spent in five sectors: power, roads, health, education and water.

Nigerians also need to organise themselves and follow through to ensure we see benefit of our recovered stolen money.

UK can keep it, even if they repatriate the fund, another person will steal it. afterall we are losing N240 million to corruption daily without breaking a sweat.

bilymuse:

UK can keep it, even if they repatriate the fund, another person will steal it. afterall we are losing N240 million to corruption daily without breaking a sweat.

wrong way to think. why should a foreign country hold our money?
We should demand it back and try to put measures in place which will prevent looters getting our funds

Hi.
When will we learn that the developed world really don't want developing countries to grow as fast as they did want to?
The government of the UK knew when these monies were been lodged in her country's bank's,what they did?look the other way.
These same government will then come and tell us that they will help us recover "looted funds "haba! it is simply international politics;they really don't want the money returned.