CISLAC to FG: Develop frameworks to manage recovered assets, prevent re-looting

Auwal Rafsanjani, executive director of the Civil Society Legislative and Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), has urged governments, anti-graft and law enforcement agencies in Africa to return recovered assets to the states they were stolen from.

Rafsanjani said this while speaking at the recent global south forum for asset recovery in Nairobi, Kenya.

He said the practice of marginalising the original victims of stolen assets (states the assets were stolen from) when recovered by governments across the continent, needs to be addressed.

Rafsanjani said the recovered assets risk being re-looted by officials who do not mean well for their country, therefore, the assets should be returned to states they were stolen from.

The CISLAC boss noted that it was important for residents of states to benefit from assets stolen from them by corrupt rulers.

Rafsanjani also called on African countries to come up with legal frameworks for the management of recovered assets, as it would encourage countries outside the continent where stolen assets are taken, to return them.

He also charged law enforcement and anti-graft agencies in Nigeria to adhere to the recently passed recovery and management act, 2022, when it comes to seizure, confiscation and management of recovered assets.

President Muhammadu Buhari had in May, signed three bills into law, to improve the country’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing framework.

The bills include the money laundering (prevention and prohibition) bill, 2022; the terrorism (prevention and prohibition) bill, 2022; and the proceeds of crime (recovery and management) bill, 2022.

Buhari said the bills were in tandem with his administration’s commitment to fighting corruption and illicit financing activities, as well as critical to the governance agenda and the development of Nigeria.

Rafsanjani, however, said while the new law does not solve the issue of proper coordination, the provision for anti-graft agencies to operate a database of recovered information where citizens can know the status of seized assets is commendable.

He added that the recovered assets should not be used for bogus projects, but rather projects that will benefit the citizens.