Sani Abacha Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! === Embezzlement of state funds === The unprecedented economic achievements coincided with the rapid expansion of embezzlement hitherto unseen in the history of [[corruption in Nigeria]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-01-03 |title=Revealing the Ultimate 2020 List: The 10 Most Corrupt Politicians in the World - The Sina Times |url=https://www.sinatimes.com/2020/01/03/revealing-the-ultimate-2020-list-the-10-most-corrupt-politicians-in-the-world/ |access-date=2024-01-03 |language=en-US}}</ref> in the alleged saga known as "Abacha loot".<ref>{{cite news |date=28 January 2021 |title=Sani Abacha - the hunt for the billions stolen by Nigeria's ex-leader |language=en-GB |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54929254 |access-date=24 February 2022}}</ref> Abacha's national security adviser, Alhaji [[Ismaila Gwarzo]], was accused by the government of President [[Olusegun Obasanjo]] to have played a central role in the looting and transfer of money to [[Offshore account|overseas accounts]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/01/26/news/26iht-swiss.2.t_3.html|title=Swiss Freeze A Dictator's Giant Cache|author=Elizabeth Olson|date=26 January 2000|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=24 June 2011}}</ref> Abacha's son, [[Mohammed Abacha]] and best friend Alhaji Mohammed M. Sada were also involved. A preliminary report published by the [[Abdulsalam Abubakar]] transitional government in November 1998 described the process. The report mentioned that Sani Abacha told Ismaila Gwarzo to provide fake national security funding requests, which Abacha approved. The funds were usually sent in cash or travellers' cheques by the [[Central Bank of Nigeria]] to Gwarzo, who took them to Abacha's house. Mohammed Sada then arranged to launder the money to offshore accounts. An estimated $1.4 billion in cash was delivered in this way.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RGvSopqOnx0C&pg=PA178|title=Growing apart: oil, politics, and economic change in Indonesia and Nigeria|last=Lewis|first=Peter|publisher=University of Michigan Press|year=2007|isbn=978-0-472-06980-4|page=178}}</ref> In 2004, a list of the ten most self-enriching leaders in the previous two decades was released;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.transparency.org/content/download/4459/26786/file/Introduction_to_political_corruption.pdf|title=Introduction to Political Corruption|date=25 March 2004|website=transparency.org|location=London|page=13}}</ref> in order of amount allegedly stolen, the fourth-ranked of these was Abacha and his family who are alleged to have embezzled $1 billion β $5 billion.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/19/world/late-nigerian-dictator-looted-nearly-500-million-swiss-say.html|title=Late Nigerian Dictator Looted Nearly $500 Million, Swiss Say|date=19 August 2004|work=The New York Times|access-date=9 April 2010}}</ref> In 2002, false rumours circulated that Abacha's family purportedly agreed to return $1.2 billion. Sources in the Obasanjo administration disclosed that the whole Abacha loot was politicised by the administration for his re-election bid.<ref>The Worldwatch Institute. (2003) ''Vital Signs 2003'', The Worldwatch Institute. p. 115. {{ISBN|0-393-32440-0}}.</ref> On 7 August 2014, the [[United States Department of Justice]] announced the forfeiture of US$480 million, the largest in its history, to the Nigerian government.<ref name="DOJ2222">{{cite web|url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/us-forfeits-over-480-million-stolen-former-nigerian-dictator-largest-forfeiture-ever-obtained|title=U.S. Forfeits Over $480 Million Stolen by Former Nigerian Dictator in Largest Forfeiture Ever Obtained Through a Kleptocracy Action|website=The United States Department of Justice|date=28 August 2014|access-date=23 August 2015}}</ref> [[Jersey]] discovered more than $267 million in funds that were allegedly laundered through the U.S. banking system and deposited in a Jersey account (Β£210m in British pounds). The U.S. Justice Department, Jersey courts and the government of Nigeria completed a civil asset forfeiture against the funds and they will be divided between those countries.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-jersey-48509274|title=Dictator's Β£210m seized from Jersey account|date=4 June 2019|access-date=23 June 2019|language=en-GB}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page