Obasanjo contradicts Iweala, Ribadu

chika ebuzor

September 14, 2015 6:30 AM

Punch reports that OBJ said he left N287b in the coffers. The total figure was arrived at, using an exchange rate of N125.88 to a dollar, and N247.99 to a pound, respectively, as at 2007.

Former President Obasanjo, in his book, My Watch-Vol II made a startling revelation, regarding the funds looted by Gen. Sani Abacha, the fmr. Head of State of Nigeria.

According to Punch Newspapers, he said “In total, by the time I left government in May 2007, over $2bn and £100m had been recovered from the Abacha family abroad, and well over N10bn in cash and properties locally. All were paid to the public treasury through the Central Bank."

Adding that “Enrico (Monfrini, a Swiss lawyer) told me by the time I left government that if he continued to get support for his work, there was still about $1bn he believed he could still recover from the Abacha family and cronies.”

Obasanjo said he paid the money into the Central Bank of Nigeria's coffers.

This is contrary to the report released to Punch, by Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, through her Special Adviser on Communication, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, that only $500m was recovered under Obasanjo's tenure as President.

This revelation by Obasanjo also defers from the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu's claim, that only $2bn was recovered from the over $6bn looted by Abacha.

chika ebuzor