US lawyers seek repatriation of Abacha loot to Nigeria

Two United States, US senior lawyers and professors of law have requested the United States of America to without delay repatriate the sum of $458 million assets stolen by the former military dictator late General Sani Abacha and his accomplices.

The lawyers Alexander Sierck and Nicholai Diamond of Cameron LPP in Washington DC made the request in a letter dated 18 March 2014 sent to Eric Holder, Jr. the Attorney General of United States of America as Volunteer Counsel for Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

In the letter titled ‘Re: Abacha Kleptocracy Forfeiture Action’, the lawyers said “SERAP respectfully requests that the U.S. Department of Justice establish a general process for the repatriation of assets seized as part of its Kleptocracy Initiative.

SERAP’s request arises in the specific context of the Department’s March 6, 2014 announcement that it has frozen more than $458 million in corruption proceeds, which have been hidden in bank accounts around the world by former Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha and conspirators, to implement the civil forfeiture complaint filed in federal district court here in Washington.