A Niger Delta activist, Ozobo Austin, has urged President Bola Tinubu to appropriate late General Sani Abacha’s $150 million loot from France, to boost critical infrastructures in the Niger Delta region.
In a statement on Wednesday, November 8, he argued that “the money is part of the Niger Delta oil funds being stolen by Abacha.”
Ozobo said no other region deserves to benefit from the funds and maintained that the money does not belong to the Nigerian government.
He said; “No region but the Niger Delta should benefit from the money, and it would amount to injustice for the Nigerian government not to appropriate the funds for the development of the Niger Delta region.
“It would be a wrong argument for anybody to lay false claims that the money belongs to the Nigerian government because the money was sourced from Niger Delta crude oil sales.
“During the Abacha regime, oil was the sole source of revenue in Nigeria, and the oil deposits were sourced only from the Niger Delta region, hence, it is correct to say the money is Niger Delta money and not the Nigerian government’s money.”
The Federal Government revealed on Friday, that France has agreed to return $150 million looted by former Nigerian military leader, General Sani Abacha.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale made this known after President Bola Tinubu met Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Catherine Colonna.
According to Ngelale, Tinubu commended the European country for the decision which further strengthens the bilateral relations between Nigeria and France.
“Thank you for the good news on the return of Abacha loot. We appreciate your effective cooperation concerning the return of Nigeria’s money. It will be judiciously applied in attaining our development objectives,” Tinubu was quoted as saying.
