Femi falana criticizes conditions for recovering relooted Abacha loot

Human rights activist, lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN Femi Falana has expressed concern over the Abacha loot saying stating that the World Bank itself had not demonstrated sufficient level of transparency and accountability in its supervision of spending of previously returned Abacha loot. He also lamented the empty promises made so far by Switzerland and the United States to return forfeited assets worth over $800 million.

Writing the government, Falana said the conditions imposed on Nigeria that allowed the World Bank to supervise the spending of returned assets by the Nigerian government breached international law, principles and standards. He described the conditions set by Switzerland as insulting, noting that the government of Switzerland lacked the right to unilaterally impose conditions on Nigeria.
“Imposing conditions on Nigeria regarding the spending of returned assets is disproportionate and amounts to an unlawful intervention because Switzerland has no legal or moral right to the assets.

Indeed, Switzerland is completely complicit for the stashing and depositing of stolen assets from Nigeria in its banks and other financial institutions,” he said.

“It is clear that the western countries will continue to frustrate the repatriation of the looted wealth of the nation being warehoused by them, albeit illegally,” he said.

Source(s): super9ja