Nigeria has secured the return of more than $9.5 million (£7 million) in stolen public funds traced to the regime of late military ruler Sani Abacha, following an agreement with authorities in Jersey.
The funds, discovered in a bank account on the Channel Island, were identified as proceeds of corruption and will be repatriated under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in December between Jersey’s Attorney General, Mark Temple KC, and Nigerian officials.
This agreement builds on earlier asset recovery deals that have already led to the return of over $300 million (£230 million) linked to Abacha-era corruption.
In January 2024, Jersey’s Royal Court ruled that the money was likely diverted by third-party contractors for the benefit of senior Nigerian officials and their associates.
Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), confirmed the recovery, stating that the funds would be utilised strictly in accordance with the MoU.
He said the repatriated money would be invested in key infrastructure projects, including the completion of a major highway connecting Abuja to Nigeria’s second-largest city, describing it as a critical national transport route.
Mark Temple KC described the recovery as proof of Jersey’s strong legal framework against corruption, emphasizing that the island’s civil forfeiture laws remain an effective tool in preventing the safe harbouring of illicit assets and promoting global accountability.
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