The United States of America has assured Nigerian government that it would assist in tracing the returning to Nigeria, billions of dollars which politicians and other public officers stole and kept in the banks there.
The U.S secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry said: “it’s not easy to hide that amount of money and we are pretty good in tracing them.”
The U.S Scribe was responding to President Muhammadu Buhari, who sought for the assistance of the government of that country to repatriate billions of dollars which some Nigerians had over time, stashed in various banks there. Buhari is currently in America, attending the security Summit in which over 60 world leaders are also attending.
The Secretary of State said that he was fully aware that the stolen Nigerian funds were in “billions of dollars,” asuring President Buhari that relevant United States Government Officials will meet with the Chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to discuss further cooperation in that regard.
Mr. Kerry applauded the Buhari Administration’s success in rolling back the Boko Haram insurgency, saying that the United States will continue to give Nigeria all possible support to ensure that the terrorist sect is finally eliminated as a threat to national and regional security.
The Secretary of State also praised President Buhari’s clear order that Nigeria’s Armed Forces must show greater regard for the human rights of persons in the theatre of operations against Boko Haram.
Buhari had told the U.S Scribe that his administration will continue to vigorously prosecute its war against corruption, President Buhari sought and received an assurance from Mr. Kerry that the United States Government will facilitate the repatriation of all stolen Nigerian funds found within the American banking system.
“It will greatly help our country if you assist us to recover all our stolen funds which we can establish to be within your financial system,” the President told Mr. Kerry.
President Buhari acknowledged that the United States has been of great help to his administration in the retraining and re-equipping of the Nigerian Armed Forces that has resulted in the significant success already achieved against Boko Haram, adding that the Federal Government is now working very hard to restore full normalcy in the North Eastern states.
“Boko Haram no longer holds any local government area. We are reconstructing damaged facilities and preparing the police to take over and reassert civilian control over areas affected by the insurgency,” the President told Mr. Kerry. [myad]
