Authorities in Jersey, a British Crown Dependency, have finalized an agreement to return over $9.5 million to the Nigerian government. The funds, identified as proceeds of corruption, will be repatriated following a December Memorandum of Understanding between Jersey’s Attorney General, Mark Temple KC, and Nigerian officials.
This recovery builds upon two prior agreements between Nigeria and Jersey, which together facilitated the return of more than $300 million held in the island’s financial institutions.
Nigeria’s Attorney-General, Lateef Fagbemi, emphasized that the repatriation reflects the success of international cooperation in combating illicit wealth. “This underscores the effectiveness of Nigeria’s collaborative efforts with its international partners to ensure there is no safe haven for assets acquired through corruption,” Fagbemi stated.
He confirmed that the returned funds will be applied according to the terms of the agreement, including supporting the completion of a major highway linking Abuja and Lagos.
Jersey’s Attorney General noted that the case demonstrates the strength of the island’s civil forfeiture laws as “a powerful tool in the fight against corruption.”
