The United States Government said General Sanni Abacha, his
gang and some of his children secured 60 false security votes letters to draw
over $2billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) .
Some of the cash transferred from the CBN, under the guise of
security votes, to foreign accounts included $1.1billion and £413 million (GBP)
in cash; $50,465,450; £3,500,000 GBP in traveller’s cheques; and $386, 290, 169,
it was also gathered that more than $700million of the money was delivered to
Mohammed Abacha in bags or boxes full of cash.
In a document filed by the United States Department in the
District and Bankruptcy Courts for the District of Columbia, the US court
document, said in part: “Abacha together with Mohammed Sani Abacha, Bagudu and
others, systematically embezzled public funds worth billions of dollars from the
CBN on the pretext that the funds were necessary for national security.
“After causing the CBN to release the funds, often in cash,
Gen. Abacha and Bagudu then moved the funds overseas, including through US
financial institutions (the Security Votes Fraud).
“Over 60 false security votes’ letters were addressed to and
endorsed by Gen. Abacha, each of which resulted in the withdrawal of
Nigeria’s public funds from the CBN.
“Subsequently, the funds were deposited into accounts
controlled by, or used to purchase assets for the benefit of, Gen. Abacha,
Bagudu or other members of the conspiracy.”
The document quoted samples of some of the false security
votes letters raised by a former National Security Adviser, Aliyu Ismaila
Gwarzo.
The document said: “By letter, dated June 2, 1994, Gwarzo
falsely stated: “In view of the ongoing negative campaign against this country,
a small international operation has been mounted to cover it. Please approve as
a matter of urgency, the sum of $5million for this operation
“By letter dated November 30, 1994, Gwarzo falsely
stated:$100m requested to combat an economy that was deflected and distorted
through the black market.
“By letter, dated August 20, 1996, Gwarzo falsely stated: “In
light of the current political situation in the country, coupled with the
increase in security operations, there is need for a lot of funds to handle the
challenges outlined above such that I require N350million plus $30million and
15million pounds. Please consider the desperate need and approve.
“Each of these letters and others like them were endorsed by
Gen. Abacha.”
The document also gave insights into how the embezzled funds
were looted from the CBN and transferred out of the country through United
States.
The document added: “Shortly after Gen. Abacha’s death, the
government of Nigeria established a Special Investigation Panel(SIP), which
found that Gen. Abacha and his co-conspirators had used false security votes
letters to steal and defraud more than $2billion in public funds, including:
(1) at least $1.1billion and £ 413 million (GBP) in cash(2) at least
$50,465,450 and £ 3,500,000 GBP in traveller’s cheques; and (3) at least $386,
290, 169 through wire transfers.
“The conspirators transported the proceeds of the Security
Votes Fraud out of Nigeria to accounts in Europe that were under the
conspirators’ private control, including the Rayville and Standard Alliance
accounts at Banque SBA, the Eagle Alliance and Mecosta accounts at ANZ (London)
and the Mecosta account at
Standard Bank as described below.
“The CBN staff and other individuals known and unknown to
the United States generally would deliver the currency stolen with the security
votes letters to Gwarzo at his residence.
“Gwarzo and others acting at his discretion would repackage
the currency in secure bags and then deliver it to Gen. Abacha at his residence
in Abuja, Nigeria.
“Gen. Abacha or those acting at his direction, delivered more
than $700million of these funds to Mohammed Abacha in bags or boxes full of cash.
“Mohammed Abacha gave the cash he received to Bagudu, who later arranged
for the money to be transferred to accounts controlled by Bagudu and Mohammed
Abacha in foreign countries.
“Transfers included deposits into accounts in the name of
defendants Mecosta, Doraville, Standard Alliance, and Rayville, as well as
Eagle Alliance and Harbour Engineering.
“In order to move the money overseas, Bagudu deposited the
cash proceeds of the Security Votes Fraud into at least one of two Nigerian
commercial banks, Union Bank of Nigeria and/ or Inland Bank of Nigeria.”
Bagudu referred to the money deposited into Union Bank and
Inland Bank as his “cash swaps.”
“Bagudu and/or Mohammed Abacha then instructed Union Bank or
Inland Bank to transfer the stolen funds to other accounts under Bagudu or
Mohammed Abacha’s control, such as accounts in the name of Mecosta, Rayville
and Eagle Alliance.
“Inland Bank or Union Bank made the necessary arrangements
to transfer the money overseas. The funds were transferred from Union Bank or
Inland Bank back to the CBN to an account held by Union Bank or Inland Bank at the
CBN.
“The CBN then transferred the funds from the account of Union
Bank or Inland Bank to their respective overseas domiciliary accounts held at
banks in either London or New York.
“The specific London or New York account varied
depending on which Nigerian commercial bank had been used in the first
instance.
“Through these “cash swaps,” at least $137million was transported
into and out of the United States, and into accounts held in the name of the
defendant corporations.”
The document listed 16 accounts and assets to be forfeited
by Gen. Abacha and his associates.
The Department of Justice added: “On November 18, 2013, the
prosecutor filed a forfeiture action in the U.S District Court for the District
of Columbia seeking to forfeit the proceeds of money laundering and corruption
offences related to the investigation of General Abacha and his associates.
“The properties sought to be forfeited by U.S. authorities
include the following assets (collectively, the Defendant Properties):
•All assets held in account number 80020796, in the name of Doraville
Properties Corporation, located at Deutsche Bank International Limited in the
Bailwick of Jersey, and all interests, benefits, or assets traceable thereto;
•All assets held in account number S-104460, in the name of Mohammed
Sani, at HSBC Fund Administration (Jersey) Limited in the Bailwick of Jersey,
and all interest benefits, or assets traceable thereto;
•All assets held in account number 223405880IUSD, in the name of
Rayville International, S.A, at Banque SBA in Paris, France and all interest
benefits or assets traceable thereto;
•All assets held in account number 223406510PUSD, in the name of
Standard Alliance Financial Services Limited located at Banque SBA in Paris,
France and all interest benefits, or assets traceable thereto;
•All assets held in account numbers 10030688 and 100138409,
in the name of Mecosta Securities, at Standard Bank in the United Kingdom, and
all interests, benefits or assets traceable thereto;
•All assets held in HSBC Life (Europe) formerly held in
account number 37060762 in the name of Mohammed Sani at Midland Life
International Limited, and all interests, benefits or asset traceable thereto;
•All assets in account number 38175076, in the name of
Mohammed Sani, at HSBC Bank Plc, and all interests, benefits or assets
traceable thereto;
•All assets held in the name of Blue Holding (1) Pte. Ltd.,
on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, at
J.O Hambro Investment Management Limited in the United Kingdom and all
interests, benefits, or assets traceable thereto;
•All assets held in the name of Blue Holding (2) Pte. Ltd.,
on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, at
J.O Hambro Investment Management Limited in the United Kingdom and all
interests, benefits or assets traceable thereto;
•All assets held in the name of Blue Holding (1) Pte. Ltd.,
on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, at
James Hambro and Partners LLP, in the United Kingdom, and all interests,
benefits or assets traceable thereto;
•All assets held in the name of Blue Holding (2) Pte. Ltd.,
on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, at
James Hambro and Partners LLP, in the United Kingdom and all interests,
benefits or assets traceable thereto;
•Doraville Properties Corporation, a corporate entity registered
in the British Virgin Islands, together with all its assets and all property
traceable thereto;
•Mecosta Securities, Inc., a corporate entity registered in
the British Virgin Islands, together with all its assets and all property
traceable thereto;
•Rayville International, S.A, a corporate entity registered
in the British Virgin Islands, together with all its assets and all property
traceable thereto;
•Ridley Group Limited, a corporate entity registered in the
British Virgin Islands, together with all its assets and all property traceable
thereto; and
•Standard Alliance Financial Services Limited, a corporate
entity registered in the British Virgin Islands, together with all its assets
and all property traceable thereto;
“Following the filing of the Verified Complaints, the United
States District Court for the District of Columbia issued sixteen warrants of
arrest in rem, ordering the restraint of each of the Defendant Properties.
“The prosecutor has sought the enforcement of the warrants of
arrest in rem in France, Jersey, British Virgin Islands and the United Kingdom.
“The prosecutor is now required to provide notice of the U.S.
forfeiture proceedings to Mohammed Sani Abacha, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and Dumez
Nigeria Plc.
Culled :The Nation
