Read why group wants World Bank to release full details of Abacha’s loot spending

– Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) said the November 2015 decision of the World Bank to release “patently insufficient information” on the spending of Abacha’s loot is improper

– SERAP urged World Bank to make public details of all projects claimed to have being carried out using the recovered loot

Infographic of the Abacha loot

A non-governmental organization, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has appealed to the World Bank to release a detailed information on the recovered funds looted by late general Sani Abacha.

The group in its appeal dated February 5, and signed by SERAP deputy executive director Olukayode Majekodunmi said the organization is concerned that the World Bank failed or neglected to make available several portions of information on the spending of the recovered loot managed by the bank.

“Following receipt of several documents from the World Bank totalling over 700 pages on the Abacha loot, SERAP commenced independent investigations and verification of some of the information supplied with appropriate agencies and institutions of government,” Majekodunmi said.

READ ALSO: President Buhari still denying Abacha looted Nigeria’s treasury?

The World Bank had on November 25, 2015 decided to release a “patently insufficient information” on the spending of recovered stolen funds by the late General Sani Abacha.

The decision Majekodunmi said amounts to improper restriction of access to information.

The organization also said that: “SERAP notes that one of the guiding principles of the Policy on Access to Information (AI Policy) is recognizing the right to an appeals process when a request for information in the World Bank’s possession is improperly or unreasonably denied.”

“SERAP argues that there is a strong public interest case here to override the corporate administrative matters, deliberative information or financial information exceptions of the AI Policy if the information being requested falls under one of these exceptions.”

“SERAP believes that it is not harmful for the Bank to disclose specific details of the information requested. SERAP also notes that the sole remedy available to those who prevail in the appeals process is to receive the information requested,” the appeal stated.

SERAP further urged the bank to make avaible to the public: evidence and list of the 23 projects allegedly completed with recovered Abacha loot, and whether the 26 projects where actually completed; and what became of the 2 abandoned projects; evidence and location of the 8 health centers built with recovered Abacha loot reviewed by the World Bank; evidence and location of the 18 power projects confirmed by the World Bank and how the $50mn Abacha loot received before 2005 kept in the special account was spent.

It also called for evidence and location of schools which benefited from the Universal Basic Education (UBE) program in the amount of NGN24.25bn and the evidence and location of the 13 road projects completed with the recovered Abacha loot, including the names of the 3 of the largest road and bridge projects in each geo-political zone.

Meanwhile the Nigeria President, Muhammadu Buhari had in 2008 said that the former military head of state did not steal any money from the Nigerian government.

However, on April 28, the presidency said Nigeria is still awaiting $320 million identified as illegally taken from the Nigerian government under the general Sani Abacha’s administration from the Swiss government.

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