The English island of Jersey’s tax havens will return nearly $9 million to Nigeria. The money was seized by the Royal Court and later returned to Abuja by a court order.
The money was designated, according to the Jersey court, for the purchase of military hardware and weaponry in the fight against Boko Haram between 2009 and 2015. Eventually, these funds were transferred to front companies run by officials close to President Goodluck Jonathan.
The Jersey Solicitors Department’s Economic Crime and Forfeiture Unit, which collaborated closely with Nigerian authorities on this case, acknowledged Abuja’s input. The government will determine the date of the funds’ restitution after receiving approval from the Jersey Royal Court; this date has not yet been set.
The authorities in Jersey have previously apprehended funds that were smuggled into the island nation from the most populous country in Africa.
Following a historic agreement, more than $300 million that General Sani Abacha and his family embezzled and concealed in Jersey bank accounts was returned to Nigeria in 2020.