By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – AMID the challenges of corruption slowing down socioeconomic development, the Africa Network for Environmental and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, Wednesday, disclosed how the Global Forum on Asset Recovery, GFAR, principles have played key role in recovered and returned looted assets from abroad to Nigeria.

Speaking on the sidelines of the ‘Launch of Policy Brief on Assessing the Implementation of Key GFAR Principles in Asset Return and Management in Nigeria’, the Executive Director, ANEEJ, Rev David Ugolor, said record on return of looted assets is very impressive despite there are some challenges, and added that there are some countries who have not recovered any of their loots from abroad but the case of Nigeria is different based on the application of GFAR.

Meanwhile, Ugolor described the research as a landmark publication after a six-month research commissioned in October 2024, with support from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), which he expressed optimism that the policy brief will influence advocacy priority for stakeholders working on illicit financial flow globally.

According to him, the inaugural Global Forum on Asset Recovery (GFAR) was held in Washington, DC, in December 2017, and was supported by the StAR Initiative and the two co-hosts, the UK and US government. At the event Nigeria, Ukraine, Tunisia, Sri Lanka, the UK and US developed and adopted 10 principles for disposition and transfer of confiscated stolen assets, which are referred to as GFAR Principles. Since then, Nigeria and its international partners have worked to build these principles into a range of international asset return agreements and MoUs for implementation.

He also explained that based on the recovery of major loots including agreement for the repatriation of $322.5 million recovered Abacha loot; $311.8 million Abacha loot from the Bailiwick of Jersey in 2020; the 5.5 million Euro Abacha loot recovered from Northern Island in 2020; the $954,807.40 Alamieyesiegha loot recovered from the United States of America in 2023; and many others, hence, ANEEJ embarked on a comprehensive research to assess the implementation of Key GFAR Principles in Asset Return and Management in Nigeria, covering the past five years.

Meanwhile, the research particularly examined the application of the GFAR Principles relating to transparency and accountability, inclusion of non-government stakeholders, return of assets to beneficiaries, and preclusion of benefit to offenders. It also made recommendations for improving asset recovery and management framework.

He said: “This research was aimed at seeing how the Global Forum on Asset Recovery, GFAR, Principles have so far been applied in all the restitution that has happened in Nigeria in the last few years, and we are very happy to record some successes. The $325 million that was restituted, was used for cash transfer programme that benefited poor of the poorest in Nigeria, and that for me is something that I have also shown and demonstrated evidence that restituted asset has benefited the poor people in Nigeria.

“And then we also look to see some areas of challenge on the basis of the constitution we carried across the country and visiting the site where these projects were located, particularly on the AbachaIII restitution and the Alamemieseigha ongoing restitutional process.

“We have seen that the principle was applied to a large extent, but there are areas of improvement, there are areas where we think that the government need to pay more interest in, so that formed part of the recommendation, but just looking at the issue of transparency and accountability principle, I think it is very right that we also focus on access to audit report that’s an area where we also recommended that Nigerians should be able to have access to the issue of audit report, because with the audit report, the people will be able to know whether the money was judiciously spent.

“And then on the issue of civil society participation, we also note that the key principle around participation is that when people participate, it increases the legitimacy of the process, and it also sends confidence to the countries that are also returning this money, and we are happy that in the case of Nigeria, to a large extent, organizations like ANEEJ and other civil society like CLEEN Foundation and African Center have all been participating in the restitution.

However, he said, “There is need to be improvement, we have also made recommendation in that direction, and also, we have noted that for the Proceed of Crime Act, which is POCA, to be implemented effectively in Nigeria, there are areas that we think that need improvement.

“I am happy that the federal government have also come out with the regulation that will also guide the anti-corruption agency to establish Proceed of Crime Unit in their various organizations.”

Meanwhile, the guest of honour at the launch, the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, Dr Orji Ogonnaya Orji, commended the Executive Director, ANEEJ, Rev David Ugolor and his team for the research and the impact.

“The launch of this policy brief comes at a critical moment in our national and global efforts to strengthen accountability, ensure justice, and promote the transparent and beneficial use of recovered assets for public good.

“Nigeria, as a prominent case study in international asset recovery efforts, has made some progress in recent years through high-profile recoveries and their deployment to legacy infrastructure projects such as the Abuja-Kano and Lagos-Ibadan expressways, as well as the Second Niger Bridge.

“However, this progress must be continuously reviewed, interrogated, and strengthened to build public trust and ensure that these processes are not only effective but also perceived to be fair and accountable by our citizens.

“This is where the work of civil society becomes invaluable. By initiating research, providing evidence-based recommendations, and convening diverse stakeholders, organizations like ANEEJ are playing a vital role in fostering transparency, inclusion, and reform in governance.

“This policy brief provides an opportunity to reflect on what has been done well, identify gaps, and chart a course for improved implementation of the GFAR Principles in Nigeria’s asset recovery architecture”, Orji said.