President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria has urged the World Bank to do all in its power to facilitate the speedy return of Nigeria’s stolen funds still being held by the Swiss authorities. It is a disgrace that the World Bank is dragging its feet when it is clear to all and sundry that Swiss [and other western banks] were, and still remain, complicit in the looting of national treasuries in Africa and elsewhere by corrupt local politicians and others. Last month the World Bank asked for more time to consider the Nigerian request concerning the reported $320 million looted by the late General Sani Abacha during his period as Military Ruler of Nigeria, despite an agreement signed by the Nigerian Federal Government and the Swiss authorities.
Their appeal for more time to consider the Nigerian request is all the more strange when you consider how quickly Swiss authorities acted on US requests for the arrest etc of FIFA officials involved in the World Cups kickbacks scandal! One wonders if there’s one rule for mighty USA and another for African countries.
Read the Vanguard article here.