As President Muhammadu Buhari gets set to meet with
United States President, Barrack Obama, The Socio-Economic Rights and
Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked Obama to “back up his expressed
commitment on stolen assets by taking thoughtful and aggressive steps
to deal with the problem with the seriousness and intensity that has
been previously lacking”.
In a statement by the group’s executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni, they wrote “We
welcome the commitment by President Obama to assist the Buhari
government to track down billions of dollars in stolen assets from the
country. However, greater efforts are required by the Obama government
to follow through its commitment if it is to secure a measure of justice
for Nigerian victims of corruption and money laundering.”
The organisation wants the US president to “establish a Presidential Advisory Committee and facilitate a Congressional Hearing on stolen assets from Nigeria. These initiatives would be tremendously important in bringing renewed attention to repatriation of stolen assets to Nigeria.”
“Corruption, money laundering and systematic violations of human rights go hand in hand and that is why President Obama should do everything within his power to get to the bottom of the stolen assets from Nigeria kept in the US,” the organisation said.
“President Obama should also propose legislation to assist Nigerians in pursuing stolen assets in US banks and other institutions. Any such legislation should also require every bank and financial institution doing business in the US and their European affiliates to post on a central Internet site bank accounts of politically exposed persons and their families and friends from Nigeria,” the organisation said.
“There is need for accountability for stolen funds, and there should not be a statute of limitations on stolen assets.” The Obama government should move quickly to resolve the issue of returning the assets to the country in an expeditious, just and fair manner. Unless this is done, the rare opportunity the Obama government now has to right the injustice aided and abetted by the US banks will be gone,” the organisation also said.
The Organization went on to say that Nigeria has been having a problem recovering stolen assets from the United states of America.
They said that its the responsibility of the US government to retunr these stolen funds back to Nigeria and take measures to stop the stashing of such assets in its jurisdiction.
SERAP had recently asked Nigeria’s new leader, Muhammadu Buhari and former Olusegun Obasanjo to declare their assets to the nation.
U.S.
President Barack Obama meets with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari
(L) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington July 20, 2015.
REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
The organisation wants the US president to “establish a Presidential Advisory Committee and facilitate a Congressional Hearing on stolen assets from Nigeria. These initiatives would be tremendously important in bringing renewed attention to repatriation of stolen assets to Nigeria.”
“Corruption, money laundering and systematic violations of human rights go hand in hand and that is why President Obama should do everything within his power to get to the bottom of the stolen assets from Nigeria kept in the US,” the organisation said.
“President Obama should also propose legislation to assist Nigerians in pursuing stolen assets in US banks and other institutions. Any such legislation should also require every bank and financial institution doing business in the US and their European affiliates to post on a central Internet site bank accounts of politically exposed persons and their families and friends from Nigeria,” the organisation said.
“There is need for accountability for stolen funds, and there should not be a statute of limitations on stolen assets.” The Obama government should move quickly to resolve the issue of returning the assets to the country in an expeditious, just and fair manner. Unless this is done, the rare opportunity the Obama government now has to right the injustice aided and abetted by the US banks will be gone,” the organisation also said.
The Organization went on to say that Nigeria has been having a problem recovering stolen assets from the United states of America.
They said that its the responsibility of the US government to retunr these stolen funds back to Nigeria and take measures to stop the stashing of such assets in its jurisdiction.
SERAP had recently asked Nigeria’s new leader, Muhammadu Buhari and former Olusegun Obasanjo to declare their assets to the nation.
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