New Telegraph

FG recovers $62.5bn arrears from oil firms

The Federal Government, yesterday, said it has recovered $62.5 billion arrears from oil companies as part of government Production Sharing Agreement (PSA). It also stated that several billions of naira looted by individuals had been recovered and returned to the nation’s treasury.

 

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), who stated this in Abuja yesterday at a workshop for Judiciary Correspondents, added that the government had also been able to save about $800 million and N15.5 billion from various civil litigations. Malami, while presenting the scorecard of his ministry, revealed that under the fight against corruption, the FG recovered $62 billion in arrears from oil companies, $311 million Abacha loot from USA and New Jersey and $6.3 million from Republic of Northern Ireland.

 

In addition, he added that $1 billion approximately was recovered from OPL 245 (Malabu) and $200 million expected from Netherlands and Switzerland. The minister also revealed that N685,784,757.09 was recovered from whistleblowing and that same has been paid into the asset recovery account. From the forfeited vessels, trucks and barges, the AGF said that the FG recovered N500 million which has been paid into the Federation Assets Recovery Account. Speaking on his ministry’s performance on litigation, Malami said N13.5 billion was saved from civil cases handled.

 

Listing the number of cases, the AGF said 90 of such cases were held at the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, 100 at National Industrial Court, 110 cases at High Court of states and the FCT and 400 cases at the Federal High Court. He equally added that at the ECOWAS Court, the sum of $800 million and another N150 million were saved from civil cases.

 

On civil cases, the AGF added that a total of 50 cases were disposed of at the Federal High Court and a sum of N1,765,015,000 was saved. At the State High Court, Malami noted that 20 cases were disposed of and a sum N181, 986,046.51 was saved.

 

Speaking about the criminal cases handled, the AGF listed three cybercrime cases, 10 cases bothering on hostage taking and kidnapping, 10 cases bothering on Securities and Exchange Commission related offences and 500 terrorism cases. According to him, as a  the end of 2019, 40 per cent of the cases have been completed and 45 per cent as at May, 2020.

 

Speaking on the deliverables, Malami said that eight cases were dropped against Nigeria at the International Criminal Court, $14 million bond recovered from SAN Padre Pio Swiss Vessel, 58 countries requested mutual legal assistance, 42 treated draft MOUs and 11 request for extradition received. Speaking on the human rights protection at the national level, Malami said that the Apo Six killings compensation of N135 million has been paid.

 

He added that a couple of human rights legislations have been passed courtesy of the Federal Ministry of Justice. Such legislations are Anti- Torture 2017, Niger Delta Development Commission (amendment) Act, Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act 2017 and Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act.

 

He, however, prayed the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to “step in, to support the acknowledgement of the pivotal role of justice administration in the sociopolitical and economic development of the nation.

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