may invite top lawyer, Damian Dodo (SAN), for interrogation over the puzzle of the whereabouts of over $400 million allegedly looted by late Head of state, Gen. Sani Abacha, and hidden on the island of Jersey....
Dodo is reported to have worked with a UK-based lawyer, Erico Monfrini, alongside a three-man Government team comprising of Dodo, former Attorney General of the federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke and ex-secretary of EFCC, Emmanuel Akonmaye, to negotiate the repatriation of N6.18 billion of the said money stashed abroad.
A source who spoke to the Nation newspaper said that: "We are probing the whereabouts of £22.5m (N6.18billion) loot of the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha which was recovered from the Island of Jersey. The EFCC cannot locate where the money was remitted to."
"According to records, the late Head of State allegedly stashed the funds through a Lebanese called Bhojwani. But when the Office of the AGF was alerted by a whistleblower, the government of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan opened discussion with the Attorney-General of the Island of Jersey."
"The AG of the Island of Jersey cooperated fully with the government, leading to the repatriation of the £22.5m. We want to know where the money is; we need records from those involved."
""We are inviting Damian Dodo, who played a key role in securing the £22.5m (N6.18 billion) loot for the Federal Government to give the details."
The source, however, stated that the anti-graft agency wasn't sure if the Jonathan administration collected the $400 million Abacha loot also stashed on Jersey Island.
"There is also uncertainty about $400 million Abacha loot on the Island. The government of Island of Jersey pledged to repatriate the stashed funds and even initiated a process towards that. As I speak with you, no one can account for the $400 million.
"What we have been hearing is that the Government of Island of Jersey was demanding a proportionate part of the funds. Again, there is uncertainty whether the loot was remitted or is diverted or still on the Island. This is why the EFCC team is stepping up investigation into Abacha loot on this tiny island."
Dodo, on his part, was quoted as saying that: "The EFCC was part of the negotiation for the repatriation of the £22.5m (N6.18billion) loot; it should just go through its records instead of calling for my head over nothing. The former Secretary of EFCC represented the commission at every stage of the recovery.
"The terms of agreement were clearly spelt out and the Federal Government provided the account in which the recovered funds should be paid. At inter-governmental level, the EFCC can ask the Federal Government to contact the Government of Island of Jersey for all transaction records.
"I have nothing to hide. No repatriation negotiation was done under the carpet at all. We did our best for this nation in recovering the looted funds. The Government of Island of Jersey wanted the substantial part of the money and we said 'no'. We said Nigeria needed the money more than the Island of Jersey.
"It is just vendetta. I have nothing to hide. They have searched all my accounts in order to find out whether or not I transferred money to Adoke. They could not find anything against me. I think they are after the former AGF at all cost.
"The EFCC was involved from the beginning to the end, why can't they check their records instead of scandalising me."
Dodo, however, refused to comment on whether the said $400 million is still hidden on the Island of Jersey, He instead said: "They should get in touch with the Government of Island of Jersey."
Former Attorney General of the Federation on his own part made references to the recovery while speaking at the 8th Edition of the National Seminar on Economic Crimes, which was held at the EFCC training school in Abuja, he, however, did not give much details.
The AGF was quoted as saying: "Only recently, we negotiated the recovery and repatriation of the sum of £22.5m from the Island of Jersey, being the proceeds of money laundered from Nigeria."
"I wish to seize this opportunity to commend the Attorney-General of Jersey for the support and cooperation we received and urge other jurisdictions to also extend to us, the much needed cooperation to enable us repatriate stolen assets within their jurisdictions.
"Our experience has shown that despite international condemnation of corruption and money laundering, many jurisdictions where stolen assets to victim states or impose stringent conditions for its repatriation with attendant negative consequences on victim states.
"We also intend to vigorously pursue stolen assets and the confiscation of other instrumentalities of crime within the country by strengthening our confiscatory and forfeiture laws."
It would be recalled that the anti-corruption agency recently announced the reopening of the infamous Halliburton bribery scandal in which Damian Dodo was also implicated in.
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