The State of Jersey, the biggest territory in
the Channels Island, is set to return to Nigeria £315 million stolen by a
former military head of state, Sani Abacha.
The Ballif of Jersey, Michael Birt, stated this at a dinner in
honour of Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK, Dalhatu Tafida, during a State
visit to the Island.
Mr. Birt, who doubles as the Island’s Civic Head of State and
ceremonial head, is the highest ranking official in the Jersey order of
precedence.
The Island, famous for its transparent banking services, had
previously repatriated in two tranches £140 million pounds of the loot.
The money was laundered on behalf of Mr. Abacha by Raj Bhojwani,
an Indian businessman.
Mr. Bhojwani is currently serving an eight-year sentence in a UK
prison.
Speaking on Jersey’s financial services and global perception of
the Island, Mr. Birt said that the repatriated loot was in line with ongoing
campaign against money laundering.
“We have done a lot to clean up the image of the Island as a
safe haven for stolen wealth,” he said.
“What we have in place is a transparent and legal finance heaven
where only legal funds can be deposited and accessed by investors,” Mr. Birt
said.
In his response, Mr Tafida commended Mr. Birt for the
Island’s transparent banking sector, and informed him of the Nigerian
government’s commitment to fighting corruption and strengthening its anti-graft
agencies.
d money wey go soon loss for Central bank
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