FG to reveal names of all looters soon –AGF Malami

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abukabar Malami, has assured that the Federal Government will soon make public names of all high ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered.

Malami made this known to a delegation of Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) during a meeting with the organisation on Wednesday at his office in Abuja.

The details of the meeting were contained in a statement signed by SERAP executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni and made available to Ripples Nigeria Thursday morning.

Malami (SAN) was quoted to have said, “President Muhammadu Buhari has directed all relevant agencies to compile documents on names of all looters with a view to promptly enforcing the judgment of a Federal High Court in Lagos ordering the government to release to Nigerians information about the names of high ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered..”

The court had also in that ruling ordered the government to tell Nigerians the circumstances under which funds were recovered, as well as the exact amount of funds recovered from each public official.

Speaking on the meeting with Malami, Mumuni said, “We had a very productive meeting with Mr. Malami, discussing among other critical issues the need for the government to obey the judgment delivered in July by Hon Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari following a Freedom of Information suit number: FHC/CS/964/2016 brought by SERAP.”

According to Mumuni, “Mr Malami informed us that President Buhari has directed the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Finance, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and other relevant agencies involved in the recovery of looted funds to promptly put the documents together with a view to fully and promptly enforcing the judgment by Justice Shagari.

“We appreciate the opportunity to meet with the Attorney General of the Federation and look forward to working with him as the government strives to enforce this very important judgment. We hope that the implementation of the judgment will now happen sooner rather than later. We believe that effectively implementing the judgment will be a victory for the rule of law, show the way forward in the fight against corruption and impunity of perpetrators in the country, as well as demonstrate Buhari’s oft-repeated commitment to tackling the problem of grand corruption,” Mumuni added.

SERAP had following the disclosure last year by the Federal Government of funds recovered from some high-ranking public officials and private individuals, dragged the government to court demanding that it make public names of those from which the looted funds were recovered.

In her judgment delivered on July 5, 2017 Justice Shagari agreed with SERAP that “the Federal Government has legally binding obligations to tell Nigerians the names of all suspected looters of the public treasury past and present.”

The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, and the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture were joined as defendants in the suit.

Among the reliefs granted by Justice Shagari in the matter include, a declaration that by virtue of the provisions of Section 4 (a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, the Defendants are under a binding legal obligation to provide the Plaintiff with up to date information relating to the following:

“To widely disseminate including on dedicated website information about the names of high ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered since May 2015. The circumstances under which stolen public funds were returned.”

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abukabar Malami, has assured that the Federal Government will soon make public names of all high ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered.

Malami made this known to a delegation of Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) during a meeting with the organisation on Wednesday at his office in Abuja.

The details of the meeting were contained in a statement signed by SERAP executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni and made available to Ripples Nigeria Thursday morning.

Malami (SAN) was quoted to have said, “President Muhammadu Buhari has directed all relevant agencies to compile documents on names of all looters with a view to promptly enforcing the judgment of a Federal High Court in Lagos ordering the government to release to Nigerians information about the names of high ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered..”

The court had also in that ruling ordered the government to tell Nigerians the circumstances under which funds were recovered, as well as the exact amount of funds recovered from each public official.

Speaking on the meeting with Malami, Mumuni said, “We had a very productive meeting with Mr. Malami, discussing among other critical issues the need for the government to obey the judgment delivered in July by Hon Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari following a Freedom of Information suit number: FHC/CS/964/2016 brought by SERAP.”

According to Mumuni, “Mr Malami informed us that President Buhari has directed the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Finance, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and other relevant agencies involved in the recovery of looted funds to promptly put the documents together with a view to fully and promptly enforcing the judgment by Justice Shagari.

“We appreciate the opportunity to meet with the Attorney General of the Federation and look forward to working with him as the government strives to enforce this very important judgment. We hope that the implementation of the judgment will now happen sooner rather than later. We believe that effectively implementing the judgment will be a victory for the rule of law, show the way forward in the fight against corruption and impunity of perpetrators in the country, as well as demonstrate Buhari’s oft-repeated commitment to tackling the problem of grand corruption,” Mumuni added.

SERAP had following the disclosure last year by the Federal Government of funds recovered from some high-ranking public officials and private individuals, dragged the government to court demanding that it make public names of those from which the looted funds were recovered.

In her judgment delivered on July 5, 2017 Justice Shagari agreed with SERAP that “the Federal Government has legally binding obligations to tell Nigerians the names of all suspected looters of the public treasury past and present.”

The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, and the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture were joined as defendants in the suit.

Among the reliefs granted by Justice Shagari in the matter include, a declaration that by virtue of the provisions of Section 4 (a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, the Defendants are under a binding legal obligation to provide the Plaintiff with up to date information relating to the following:

“To widely disseminate including on dedicated website information about the names of high ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered since May 2015. The circumstances under which stolen public funds were returned.”

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