We have returned the $700m Abacha looted to Nigerian government – Swiss envoy

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The Government of Switzerland has disclosed that it had returned to the Nigerian government about $700m looted by late military Head of State, General Sani Abacha.

Switzerland Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Hans-Rudolf Hodel, made this known in Abuja recently at a press briefing ahead of a two-day seminar on Anti Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism.

The envoy asserted that the Swiss government was ready to reopen the case if Nigerian government presents concrete evidence of any other money still being held in any Swiss bank, noting that Switzerland had no interest in withholding illicit funds. He said his country had returned about $1.7bn to their countries of origin in the last 15 years.

“Switzerland and Nigeria agreed to request the World Bank to participate in the review of the use of funds, in the framework of a budget control process of various welfare projects,” he said.

He disclosed that his country was yet to receive any request for information on the November 4 Berne Declaration report: Swiss Traders Opaque Deals in Nigeria, which allegedly accused the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation of conniving with some Swiss-based oil firms of fraudulent deals, worth $6.8bn.

“I have no knowledge that we have been contacted by the authorities. In case they will start proceedings and they will need our help; of course, with international legal cooperation, we will help them if they approach us. But until now, they have not approached us,” he said.

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