Alex Enumah in Abuja
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), yesterday departed Nigeria to attend a three-day meeting of the United States-Nigeria Bi-national Commission in Washington DC.
Malami at the meeting, is expected to sign a tripartite agreement on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with the Island of New Jersey and the United States for the repatriation of $321 million ‘Abacha loot’.
The meeting, according to a statement by the Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Umar Gwandu, is part of the federal government’s efforts to recover more stolen funds stashed abroad.
The statement described the meeting as an annual event between Nigeria and the US aimed at reviewing bilateral relationship and taking necessary steps to advance mutual interest in all diplomatic areas between the two countries.
According to the minister, the meeting is not an ad-hoc event for addressing impromptu concerns, but a friendly bi-national meeting that holds annually and devoid of intervening concerns or relating to the internal affairs of the participating states.
Members of the Nigerian government delegation expected to be part of the meeting included Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Chief Adeniyi Adebayo; Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd); Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Geoffrey Onyeama; National Security Adviser; Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd); and Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development; Ms. Sadiya Faruk.
