Without The Return Of Abacha loot, Combating Coronavirus Would’ve Been Tougher – FG

The Presidency has come out to say that the recently returned $311, which was part of the money allegedly stolen by the late former Head of State, Gen. Sanni Abacha has been allocated for infrastructure development in Nigeria.

FG also revealed that part of the cash would be used for grain grants and free school feeding programs and without the returned money, battling the pandemic would’ve been more difficult.

According to the government, infrastructure development like the second Niger Bridge, the Lagos-Ibadan and Abuja-Kaduna-Kano expressways and the Mambilla Power Project will feel the effect of the cash as soon as possible.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu added that previous monies returned last year from Switzerland – some $320 million US dollars – are already being used for the government’s free school feeding scheme, a stipend for millions of disadvantaged citizens, and grain grants for those in severe food hardship.

It read, “The return of the Abacha stole millions from the United States and Jersey ” noted that the latest returned the money and the ones before it was a testament to the growing and deepening relationship between the government of Nigeria and the government of the United States.

“Part of the funds will also be invested in the Mambilla Power Project which, when completed, will provide electricity to some three million homes – over ten million citizens – in our country.

”The receipt of these stolen monies – and the hundreds of millions more that have already been returned from the United Kingdom and Switzerland – are an opportunity for the development of our nation, made far harder for those decades the country was robbed of these funds.

“Indeed, previous monies returned last year from Switzerland – some $320 million US dollars – are already being used for the government’s free school feeding scheme, a stipend for millions of disadvantaged citizens, and grain grants for those in severe food hardship.”

“Without these funds, the fight against Covid-19 would be even tougher.

“The latest return is a testament to the growing and deepening relationship between the government of Nigeria and the government of the United States.

“Without cooperation both from the UK Government, the US Executive branch and US Congress, we would not have achieved the return of these funds at all.”

”Today, US, UK and other jurisdictions have found the partnership with the nation of Nigeria they can finally trust.

”The Buhari Administration is committed to – and is enacting – total and zero tolerance to corruption in politics and public administration.

“The days when the government was seen and used by the political class as their personal ATM to empty are over.

“The time of better governance and clean hands in the affairs of state is here to stay.”