By Abdullahi Alhassan Kaduna
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has commended the repatriation of $52.88 million in recovered assets linked to former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, by the United States government. CISLAC praised the collaborative efforts of the Nigerian and US governments in achieving this milestone and stressed the need for transparent and accountable utilization of the funds.
In a statement issued by its Executive Director, Comrade Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, CISLAC urged the Federal Government to ensure that the recovered assets are directed toward visible development projects that directly benefit Nigerians. Rafsanjani questioned the plan to use the bulk of the recovered funds to finance rural electrification through the World Bank, seeking more details on government agency involvement and the amount of funds that will reach citizens.
CISLAC expressed concern over the 2025 budget, highlighting allocations for luxury items that do not align with the nation's economic challenges. The organization called for greater transparency about the utilization of the funds, along with the full terms of the agreement between all parties.
The organization emphasized the importance of adhering to the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act 2022, advocating for openness in communicating details about asset recoveries. CISLAC noted that citizens must be able to track the impact of these funds to ensure accountability.
Rafsanjani warned that if the funds are not used transparently for the benefit of Nigerians, suspicions of re-looting will inevitably arise. CISLAC reiterated its dedication to advocating for the recovery of looted funds and their proper deployment for national development.
The organization urged the Federal Government to build on this success by pursuing other pending asset recovery cases and ensuring that all proceeds are used to improve the lives of Nigerians.
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Crimes