Oscarline Onwuemenyi
09 September 2017, Sweetcrude, Abuja – Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, has revealed that the funds allegedly stolen by the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, surpasses that of former Head of State, late General Sani Abacha as only 15 percent of Diezani’s loot have been recovered by the anti-graft agency.
Magu, who was speaking to reporters in Abuja, said, “The money looted by Mrs. Alison-Madueke is even more notorious than the so-called Abacha loot because we have not seen anything yet. I’m sure what we have seen is not more than maybe 15 percent of what she took. I think it is going to be a long time.
“That is why sometimes I think we should appeal to the looters to return the loot. Then the government will take a decision. I think it is the best way to go about it, otherwise, the monies would be wasted.”
He added that the agency is working hard to facilitate the extradition of Mrs. Alison-Madueke, who is currently living in the United Kingdom, adding that the process would take some time.
According to him, “There is the National Crime Agency and the Crown Prosecution Service in London, and our colleagues, the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in America. We had cause to meet in London for about a week. We are working not only on the Diezani case but the Diezani case has become a test case.”
Magu added that the EFCC is in collaboration with “almost all law enforcement agencies in the world” to recover loot stashed abroad by Nigerians.
