The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), Thursday informed Nigerians that the Federal Government has recovered N15bn and $10.5 million so far in its asset recovery drive.
Malami disclosed when the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters visited the ministry on its oversight function to appraise the 2016 budget performance of the ministry.
He said, “Let me put it on record that the Federal Ministry of Justice has equally significantly recorded success in the recovery drive as it relates to the looted funds.
“In that regard and direction, over N15bn has been recovered by the ministry and $10.5m was equally recovered in that direction.”
The minister said that exclusive of the recoveries, the revenue profile of the ministry as at Dec. 31, 2016, was N12.4m.
He said this was generated from sale of journals, renting of part of the headquarters building to commercial entities, use of its conference hall, tender fees and sale of un-serviceable items.
He added that the total expenditure profile of the ministry within the same period was N3.7bn, including personnel and non-regular allowances.
The chief law officer of the country said that the ministry, by virtue of its mandate, was in a vantage position to articulate and implement the present administration’s broad policy objectives in four major priority areas.
“The anti-corruption campaign, the recovery of stolen national assets, the rule of law component of the anti-terrorism war and the institutionalisation of law and order in all aspects of national life,’’ he said.
