By Kunle Olasanmi
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – The attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), yesterday left Nigeria to attend a three-day meeting of the United States-Nigeria Bi-national Commission in Washington DC.
Among others, the minister will sign a tripartite agreement on behalf of Nigeria with the Island of New Jersey and the United States of America (USA) for the repatriation of $321 million looted assets, as part of the federal government’s efforts to recover more stolen funds stashed abroad.
The looted fund is traced to the late head of state, Gen. Sani Abacha.
In a statement issued in Abuja, yesterday, by his special assistant on media and public relations, Dr Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, he explained that the meeting is an annual event between Nigeria and the US to review bilateral relationship and take necessary steps to advance mutual interest in all diplomatic areas between the two countries.
The minister added that the meeting is not an ad-hoc event for addressing impromptu concerns, but a friendly bi-national forum that holds annually devoid of “intervening concerns or relating to the internal affairs of the participating states.”
In the federal government’s entourage are the ministers of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, minister of Defence, Maj-Gen Bashir Magashi (rtd), minister of Foreign Affairs; Geoffrey Onyeama, the national security adviser (NSA), Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd) as well as minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Faruk.
Culled from Leadership