By Peter Emmanuel |
A coalition of Nigerian and United Kingdom civil society organisations has called for greater transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s asset recovery efforts following the acquittal of former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, by a United Kingdom court.
The coalition made the call on Wednesday during a virtual media and civil society briefing organised by the African Network for Environmental Justice (ANEEJ) to examine the UK court proceedings involving Diezani and their implications for Nigeria’s anti-corruption and asset recovery efforts.
The briefing brought together more than 55 participants, including legal experts, journalists, academics and civil society representatives from Nigeria and the UK.
Among those in attendance were ANEEJ Executive Director, Rev. David Ugolor; Chairman of the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) Resource Centre, Suraj Olaruwanju; Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani; Deputy Director of Spotlight on Corruption UK, Helen Taylor; and Legal Fellow, Zainab Saleem.
The coalition said the UK acquittal should not end legitimate scrutiny of assets associated with wider corruption allegations involving the former minister.
CSOs Seek Clarity on Recovered Assets
ANEEJ Executive Director, Rev. David Ugolor, said the UK verdict should sustain wider discussions around Nigeria’s oil wealth, public accountability, illicit financial flows and asset recovery.
He said international cooperation remained important because illicit financial flows often cross national borders, but Nigeria must also strengthen its domestic capacity to investigate corruption and pursue legally sustainable prosecutions.
Ugolor said effective asset recovery requires clear processes for tracing, recovering and managing assets linked to corruption investigations.
He said questions surrounding assets connected to the Diezani case should be properly addressed by relevant Nigerian authorities.
The coalition said citizens should be able to know what assets have been recovered, where they are located and how they have been managed.
It urged relevant agencies to provide clear information on the status of assets seized, forfeited or recovered in connection with corruption cases.
Coalition Calls for Public Asset Database
CISLAC Executive Director, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, said the acquittal of Diezani in the UK bribery case raised broader questions about how the assets of public officials were assessed, traced and accounted for.
Rafsanjani called for greater clarity on the status and management of assets recovered or linked to corruption investigations.
He said a publicly accessible database would enable citizens, journalists and civil society organisations to track recovered and forfeited assets.
The coalition subsequently recommended the creation of a comprehensive national database containing information on recovered and forfeited assets.
It also called for journalists to be supported to investigate and report responsibly on the acquisition, recovery, management and utilisation of assets linked to public officials.
The organisations said access to reliable information would strengthen public oversight and reduce uncertainty around the handling of recovered assets.
Communique Demands Stronger Recovery Oversight
At the end of the briefing, participants adopted a communique containing recommendations for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other relevant authorities.
The coalition urged the agencies to clarify the status, management and utilisation of assets connected to the Diezani case, particularly those seized, forfeited or auctioned.
It also called for continuing legal and policy briefings for journalists on Nigerian asset-forfeiture proceedings to improve public understanding of complex recovery cases.
The communique further urged stronger cooperation between Nigerian and international civil society organisations on cross-border corruption investigations and asset recovery.
Participants also called for sustained engagement with investigating agencies and the judiciary to promote effective, transparent and timely investigations and prosecutions.
They urged authorities to ensure that recovered assets are managed transparently and ultimately used for public benefit in line with relevant laws and regulations.
Acquittal Should Not End Asset Scrutiny
The coalition stressed that Diezani’s acquittal in the UK should not bring an end to legitimate scrutiny of assets associated with the wider corruption allegations.
The Director of the Legal Defence and Accountability Project (LEDAP) said civil society organisations and the media should continue to monitor other aspects of the case before Nigerian courts.
The coalition said due process must be respected while legitimate questions surrounding the tracing, recovery, management and public use of assets continue to be examined.
“An acquittal in one criminal case should not end legitimate questions about the tracing, recovery, management and public use of assets. Due process must be respected, but accountability must continue wherever the evidence leads,” the communique stated.
The organisations also urged Nigerian authorities to strengthen their capacity to investigate corruption, prosecute sustainable cases and recover assets through lawful processes.
They said the media and civil society have an important role to play in monitoring asset recovery and ensuring that recovered resources are ultimately accounted for and used transparently for the public good.
Share this
