Jersey willing to return Jeremiah Useni’s loot to Nigeria

The government of Jersey says it will engage Nigerian authorities on the repatriation of funds totaling 1.9 million pounds forfeited by retired lieutenant general Jeremiah Useni.

This is coming after an order by the royal court.

Useni, was said to have transferred the money into the Island’s Standard Chartered Bank accounts using a false identity between 1989 and the late 1990s while he was in military service.

The country’s attorney general, Mark Temple, noted that Jersey has robust and effective legislation which in appropriate cases will be used to forfeit monies associated with corruption and return same for the benefit of the people who have suffered from its effects.

Mr Temple said he will explore with the Nigeria government on how to return the forfeited assets to the people of Nigeria.

The attorney general argued that the accounts were created to hold and conceal bribes, or other proceeds of corruption received by Useni during the period he held high political office in the Abacha regime.