BEVERLY HILLS, May 14, (THEWILL) – Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s have reached an agreement on the recovery of assets and cash stashed away in UAE by Nigerians.
Officials of the UAE and Nigeria, on Sunday in Abu Dhabi, exchanged instruments of ratification on judicial agreements signed between both governments in 2016.
With the exchange of instruments, the agreement will now take effect from June 13.
According to WAM Emirates news agency, the UAE and Nigeria signed the agreement regarding the apprehension of criminals, extraditing convicted persons, providing mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, as well as for legal and judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters.
The ceremony for exchanging the instruments of ratification took place between Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al Jarman, Assistant Minister for Human Rights and International Law at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Nigeria’s Ambassador to UAE Mohammed Dansanta Rimi, at the headquarters of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The UAE’s Director of the International Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Justice, Abdul Rahman Murad Al Balushi, witnessed the ceremony during which the June 13 take-off date was confirmed.
Nigeria on January 19, 2016, signed six agreements with the UAE following a state visit by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The pact includes Judicial Agreements on Extradition, Transfer of Sentenced Persons, Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters, and Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal and Commercial Matters (the recovery and repatriation of stolen wealth).
The Federal Government had been collaborating with the UAE authorities on suspicious cash and assets allegedly owned by some Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs).
The agreements, which were signed by President Buhari are:
Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement.Agreement on Trade Promotion and ProtectionJudicial Agreements on ExtraditionTransfer of Sentenced PersonsMutual Legal Assistance on Criminal MattersMutual Legal Assistance on Criminal and Commercial Matters(recovery and repatriation of stolen wealth)
The Federal Government has been trying to attach some suspected assets allegedly owned by some Nigerians or traced to them in UAE.
The EFCC also has evidence of how some public office holders benefited from the London-Paris Club refund and how the cash was laundered in Dubai, UAE.
The financial intelligence sharing by the two countries has uncovered some cases involving ex-Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke and some of her business associates.
The assets allegedly identified with Diezani are marked as J5 Emirates Hills (30million Dirham) and E146 Emirates Hills valued at 44million Dirham.
Those allegedly traced to her assiociate Kola Aluko are: 4100 Le Reve Dubai Maria, Dubai; Unit 1402, PS 14th Floor located at Metro TECOM near Internet City Metro Station, Dubai; Unit 712, ES 7th Floor located at First Central, Off Sheikh Zayed, TECOM, Al-Barsha 3 Dubai and Unit 512, 5th Floor located at First Group Marina Hotels, Al-Seba Street, Plot 394-426, Dubai AE-AJ.
