Two arrested in UK over £20m Abacha loot

The last is yet to be heard about looted funds
traced to ex- Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha,
as £20m(N5.12billion) laundered through
some lawyers in Britain is being probed.
Two suspects, including a former Attorney-
General of Kogi State, have been arrested in
London in connection with the loot
The two suspects, who were trying to convert a
1994 CBN Traveller’s Cheque worth £2,000 at
Travelex are undergoing interrogation in
London.
Upon a search in the suspects’ hotel in
London, it was gathered, about £78,000
traveller’s cheque was found on them.
There were indications that the UK Police may
invoke the Mutual Legal Assistance to seek the
extradition of Mohammed Sanni, who is
allegedly linked to the probe.
A source said: “The arrest of two Nigerian
suspects (including a former Attorney-General
of Kogi State) has triggered the latest round of
investigation.
“With the £20million loot in their care, they
decided to test the waters with £80,000. So,
the two suspects took £2,000 Traveller’s
Cheque purchased by the CBN in 1994 to
Travelex to get some cash but the desk officers
were suspicious because of the time frame.
“The attendants alerted security agencies who
arrested the suspects and later searched their
hotel rooms where additional £78,000 worth
of traveler’s cheque was found.
“The security agencies are working on the
suspicion that the suspects were on a
laundering mission in the UK as part of moves
to repatriate the alleged £20million stashed by
the late Head of State.”
The Press Bureau of the Metropolitan Police
last night said: “We have contacted officers to
get any details of this incident. We will reply in
due course as and when we have them.”
The Abachas were alleged to have laundered
about $3billion cash.
The Federal Government has so far recovered
more than $2.550billion.
The government is trying to trace the
whereabouts of $450million hidden in many
countries.
A Federal Government counsel on repatriation
of Abacha loot, Mr. Tim Daniel, had said about
$2.550billion of $3billion had been so far
recovered by the Federal Government from the
late Abacha’s accounts and his family.
He gave the breakdown as follows: voluntary
surrender ($750m); Switzerland ($570m);
Jersey ($380m); UK($150m); Luxembourg
($300m); and Liechtenstein ($400m).
A few months after the 13th year anniversary
of Abacha’s death, the Federal Government
recovered£22.5m (N6.18billion) loot which
the late Head of State, allegedly stashed in
Jersey.
The £20million being investigated is alleged to
be part of the outstanding $450million.