President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed Monday in Abuja that his
administration has taken efforts to recover looted Nigerian funds a step
further by identifying banks, financial institutions and countries in which
payments for stolen Nigerian crude oil have been deposited.
Speaking at an audience with visiting United States Congressmen, President
Buhari acknowledged the support and cooperation his administration was
getting from the international community in gathering required intelligence
for tracing and recovering stolen national resources.
“We are getting cooperation from the international community, including
information on ships that take crude oil from Nigeria and change direction,
or pour their contents into other ships mid-stream.
“Some monies were paid to individual accounts. We are identifying the
financial institutions and countries that are involved.
“I have been assured that when we get all our documents together, the
United States and other countries will treat our case with sympathy,’’ the
President told the Congressmen led by Rep. Darrel Issa.
President Buhari told the Congressmen that his Administration will welcome
more regular meetings of the Nigeria-United States Bi-National Commission.
He noted that the Commission could serve as a more useful platform for the
promotion of bilateral trade and economic relations as well as joint
cooperation in the war against terrorism.
Rep. Darrel assured President Buhari that the United States will support
Nigeria against Boko Haram by providing training, intelligence and military
platforms.
“We look forward to helping you in many ways to end the Boko Haram
insurgency and the theft of crude oil in the Gulf of Guinea,’’ he said.