Erstwhile Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has said that the ministry during his tenure has recovered a total sum of N59.16 billion and $779.495 million across board and $385,495,900.00 locally.

He added that “the total sums recovered by the Ministry during the reporting period are $779,495,900.00 and N59,163,029,949.46.”

The former made the revelation on Tuesday at the handing over ceremony and the reconstitution of governing board of the parastatals and agencies of the ministry in Abuja.

He noted that during his tenure, an Asset Recovery and Management Unit was established to coordinate relevant stakeholders to put in place policies and mechanisms for effective and efficient assets recovery and management in the country.

According to him, “The AGF was granted mandate pursuant to the directive of Council, vide approval in EC (2017) 232 on 1st November 2017 to sign on behalf of the Federal Government, a Tripartite Agreement with the Swiss Federal Council and World Bank for the repatriation of $321m Abacha loot.”

Malami added: “During the maiden Global Forum on Asset Recovery in Washington DC, the USA in December 2017, the AGF signed the said agreement. The funds have since been received by the government and currently deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria.”

Malami, who said the ministry during the period of review developed a constructive protocol for collaboration with anti-corruption agencies, added that there was increased international cooperation and collaboration with countries such as the UK, USA, Switzerland, France, Italy, among other nations.

At the event, the board of parastatals under the Ministry of Justice, except that of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which is still awaiting the confirmation of the National Assembly were inaugurated.

They are:

Council of Legal Education of Nigerian

Nigerian Copyright Commission

National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other related matters

Legal Aid Council.

Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Dayo Apata, while speaking on Malami’s achievements, said: “He facilitated many projects including staff training of the Ministry. He made staff ICT compliant. The ministry became third best in all of the Ministries in Nigeria.

“Students now have library to engage them during holiday. Provision of adequate infrastructure. You are an asset and gift to the ministry. You shall return to continue your good works.”

Chairman of Lawyers Officers Association of Nigeria LOAN, Mr Yusuf Abdulkadir, said: “Today is unprecedented in the history of this ministry to lawyers. Malami helped in boosting the condition of service of lawyers. I believe he will come back and do more. We need our lawyers to go on foreign courses and we know he would do that for us.”

Pastor Tunde Bakare, in his goodwill message, said: “This is my first time of witnessing handing over of a Minister and it is because of the uniqueness of Malami who we are celebrating. I met him in 2011 and he has been showing how selfless, disciplined he is as a Minister.”

He prayed that God will continually protect and guide him to be a good example in all his endeavours.

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