News
Nigeria’s AGF Demands Share of Abacha’s $550m Loot- Lawyer
Godson Nnaka, the United States-based attorney involved in the controversy over the repatriation of $550 million Abacha loot, has absolved himself of responsibility in the delay of the funds being returned to Nigeria.
Mr. Nnaka was recruited in 2004 by the Nigerian government to recover funds stolen by late dictator Sani Abacha.
He had instituted a case in a U.S. district court seeking 40 per cent of the recovered loot. He also asked to be made the funds’ exclusive attorney.
He was kicked out of the fund recovery case after he had spent money and time to find and recover the funds.
He also alleged that Nigeria’s Attorney General, Abubakar Malami, jilted him after he turned down his demand to part with a kickback of as much as 70 per cent of his fee in order to access documentations needed for him to act on behalf of the country.
He also threatened to sue the minister for defamation if he did not desist from making false claims about him. He had given Mr Malami 48 hours to publish an apology in PREMIUM TIMES and or be prepared to be slammed with a defamation charge.
However, a statement by Mr. Malami on Monday explained that according to the U.S. law, when stolen funds are discovered, the U.S. Department of Justice would first approach a court for the forfeiture of the funds to the U.S. government.
If the court ruled in favour of the DOJ, the U.S. government, at the end of the process, would repatriate the money to the country from which the funds were stolen.
The AGF then claimed that Mr Nnaka’s suit demanding to be paid for representing Nigeria was the only thing standing in the way of the recovered loot being repatriated to the country.
Mr. Nnaka, in a statement released by his lawyer, Bennett Amadi, on Wednesday, replied that it was Mr Malami’s “corruption” and “greed” which was preventing the repatriation of the funds. He said all he was asking was to be paid for the services he rendered to Nigeria.
“Let it be noted that Nnaka is neither delaying the return of the Abacha loot to Nigeria nor attempting to extort anything from Nigeria. Rather, it is “corruption” and the selfishness and greed of Abubakar Malami that is centrally delaying the quick and safe return of the funds to Nigeria and to Nigerians. As it is commonsensical that every labourer is entitled to his wages, Nnaka is only asking to be paid for his services that he responsibly rendered and benefitted Nigeria with, and the cost and expenses incurred over several years pursuant to his agreement with the Federal Republic of Nigeria regarding the aforesaid loots.”
The statement claimed that since 2013, Mr. Nnaka had reached out to the Nigeria government on several occasions to ensure the funds are speedily returned to the country but he has repeatedly confronted a stonewall.
“However, it is the selfish, rapacity, bad faith, corruption and arrogance of the Nigerian Government officials, Abubakar Malami inclusive, that has forced Nnaka to recently approach the court in the United States to obtain justice. To be precise, when in April 2014, Nnaka and his team filed for the intervention and claim on behalf of Nigeria seeking for the prompt and safe repatriation of the loots to Nigeria to brief the then Attorney-general, Mr Adoke, and other government officials.
But for their deliberate inaction and corruption, the issue would have since been resolved. Following the election of President Muhammadu Buhari in May of 2015, Nnaka, in August of 2015 wrote to President Buhari seeking his intervention to ensure the prompt resolution of this matter. Nnaka also sought the assistance of well-placed Nigerians and even Senators to ensure the return of these Abacha loots back to Nigeria. All his efforts met brick-walls.”
The statement added that Mr. Nnaka’s representatives wrote to Mr. Malami on two occasions – November 17, 2015 and in February 2016 – asking him for an amicable settlement to his claim. He said Mr. Malami fixed a meeting with his representatives in Washington DC in April 2016, but when it became obvious that he was not going to dance to the AGF’s alleged demand for kickback, Mr. Malami cancelled the meeting and appointed a new lawyer for the case.
“Mr. Malami handed over the matter to a new lawyer who knew nothing about the case, for obvious selfish reasons. Faced with such arrogance, greed and selfishness, Nnaka perfected his appeal and petitioned the court for justice. So where in the world is Nnaka responsible for the delay in the return of the loots? Why can’t Nigerians be told the truth? What exactly does Mr Abubakar Malami intend to achieve in his present name-calling and image laundering antics? Does it bother him at all that Nigerian are wiser and more intelligent than he believes or thinks that they are?,” he asked.
“If Mr. Malami is sincere about the immediate and safe return of the present loots to Nigeria and to Nigerians, he knows exactly what to do instead of jumping from one newspaper house to another, Attorney General Malami and/or his attorneys for Nigeria are welcome to contact this office so that we may reasonably exchange ideas for the quick and immediate resolution of the issue in this matter and for quick return of these funds to Nigeria and Nigerians.
Mr. Malami and his lawyers know the telephone numbers and emails of this office. As always, our office is open to Mr. Malami and his lawyers for the sincere discussion and resolution of this matter. The present situation in Nigeria earnestly affirms that this matter should be sensibly looked into and resolved now so that these looted funds should go back to Nigeria without any further delay, and Nigeria can expand efforts to recover additional ones estimated at $20 billion in the next eighteen months.
“If the government of Nigeria fails to take advantage of this window, then Mr. Abubakar Malami should stop deceiving Nigerians with self-serving propaganda and tired image laundering antics, shut up and allow the United States Court to speak on this matter and render justice as it deems fit and proper. The matter is currently in court. Attorney General Malami should understand that civil litigation is not conducted on the pages of newspapers,” he added.
The World Bank Group has announced the 31-month debarments of United Aviation Services Limited (UNASEL), a transportation services company based in Nigeria, and Air Vice Marshal Alkali Mamu, its owner and president, “in connection with fraudulent practices under the Enhancing Niger Northeastern Connectivity Project,” according to a press release issued by the multilateral development bank.
The statement said that the project aims to enhance connectivity and road safety along the Zinder-Agadez Road section and improve access to basic socioeconomic infrastructure for selected communities in that road section.
However, according to the statement: “UNASEL and Mr. Mamu presented false experience documents in a prequalification application to qualify for a contract under the project. This was a fraudulent practice under the World Bank’s sanctions framework.”
“The debarments make UNASEL and Mr. Mamu ineligible to participate in projects and operations financed by Bank Group institutions. The debarments are part of two settlement agreements under which UNASEL and Mr. Mamu admit culpability for the underlying sanctionable practices,” it added.
The statement further said: “Per the Bank Group Sanctioning Guidelines, the settlement agreements provide for a reduced period of debarment in light of UNASEL and Mr. Mamu’s cooperation.
As a condition for release from sanction under the terms of the settlement agreements, UNASEL and Mr. Mamu commit to developing and implementing integrity compliance measures that reflect the relevant principles set out in the Bank Group Integrity Compliance Guidelines, and Mr. Mamu further agrees to complete corporate ethics training.
UNASEL and Mr. Mamu also commit to continue to fully cooperate with the Bank Group’s Integrity Vice Presidency.
“The debarments of UNA SEL and Mr. Mamu qualify for cross-debarment by other multilateral development banks under the Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions that was signed on April 9, 2010.”
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, has approved the allocation of a parcel of land in Enugu, the state capital, for the establishment of a state-of-the-art Digital Fabrication Centre by the Industrial Training Fund.
Mbah announced this while receiving a delegation from the Industrial Training Fund on a courtesy visit to the Government House, Enugu.
The ITF disclosed this on Friday in a statement signed by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Thomas Ngor.
According to the statement, Mbah described the proposed project as timely and aligned with his administration’s vision of transforming Enugu into a leading destination for investment, innovation and technology-driven industrial development.
He noted that the future of economic prosperity lies in deliberate investments in human capital and emerging technologies, adding that the state has continued to create an enabling environment for innovation, enterprise and sustainable growth.
The governor explained that his administration has made technical education compulsory in the state’s basic education system, with emphasis on digital literacy, robotics and mechatronics to prepare learners for the future of work.
According to him, many traditional trades are now driven by digital technologies, making it imperative to equip young people with relevant technical competencies that will enable them to compete globally and contribute meaningfully to economic development.
Governor Mbah further disclosed that his administration has built smart schools across the state, equipped with robotics centres, mechatronics laboratories and other modern learning facilities, to prepare youths for the evolving global economy.
He noted that artificial intelligence is expected to contribute about $20tn to the global economy in the coming years.
He therefore stressed that the state must be intentional about upskilling its citizens, adding that the establishment of the ITF Digital Fabrication Centre will significantly strengthen the state’s drive to build a knowledge-based economy, foster innovation, promote local manufacturing and create employment opportunities for its growing youthful population.
Earlier, Afiz Ogun, the Director-General of the ITF, who led the delegation, said that upon his appointment by President Bola Tinubu, he was mandated to upskill Nigerian artisans to international standards.
He explained that the Fund subsequently repositioned its technical and vocational skills development efforts through strategic initiatives, including the Skill-Up Artisans Programme, which is designed to train, certify and license Nigerian artisans to international standards.
Ogun disclosed that the Fund had already established a Digital Fabrication Centre in Ikeja, Lagos, with the capacity to produce more than 400 different products. He therefore requested the allocation of land in Enugu State to establish a similar centre with the same production capacity.
According to him, the initiative is aimed at promoting industrialisation, reducing dependence on imports and preparing Nigerians for opportunities in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
He also reaffirmed the Fund’s readiness to enter into public-private partnerships that will transform Nigeria’s artisanal ecosystem.
Ogun further noted that digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, robotics and computer-aided manufacturing, are rapidly transforming the global economy, making it imperative for Nigeria to deliberately invest in upskilling its workforce to remain globally competitive.
The ITF delegation was later conducted on a guided tour of facilities at one of the smart schools established by the Enugu State Government.
Glovo, a multi-category tech company, has announced its integration into the generative AI ecosystem with the launch of its “Shopping Assistant” for ChatGPT and Claude. Users can now discover retail products, compare prices, and seamlessly order any item using natural conversational language with the AI systems.
The Glovo experience inside such platforms introduces a conversational commerce model that shifts from a search-based web to an intent-based web. Rather than navigating traditional app menus and filters, users can express needs, such as asking for a “last-minute gift for a coffee lover under ₦50,000”, and the assistant handles semantic search, location validation, and product curation.
A Seamless, Concierge-Like Experience
Once both platforms have been connected through either ChatGPT or Claude apps, the user will be able to have a multi-turn dialogue where the assistant remembers context and constraints, such as budget caps. Users receive a visual carousel of up to five highly customised product options available at local stores. Each product displays its image, name, store details and ratings, and price. While the search and discovery experience takes place directly on the Generative AI platforms, selecting a product via the “view on Glovo” button takes the user to the Glovo mobile or web app, where the payment and final purchase are exclusively completed.
Strategic Focus on Retail and Growth
Glovo is prioritising the retail and grocery sectors for this initial launch, capturing the established habit of using AI for product research. Generative AI has driven a significant jump in retail traffic globally, so this first-mover advantage aims to meet customers where they are meeting Gen AI daily, and ensure it captures high-intent organic traffic as search behaviours evolve.
“We’re always looking for ways to meet our customers where they already are. Being available on Claude and ChatGPT means people can discover what Glovo has to offer as part of a natural conversation, with no friction. Glovo has always been about being the everyday app that provides choice and convenience, and this is another step in that direction”, said Shiro Theuri, Chief Technology Officer at Glovo.
How to look for products in the Glovo app through ChatGPT or Claude
- The user must sync ChatGPT or Claude with the Glovo app with the plug-in.
- Once synced, the user must type in @glovo followed by their request.
- The AI platform displays a carousel with 5 available options for the user.
- If the user wants to purchase any of the products or continue searching within the Glovo app, they must click “View on Glovo”, which will redirect the user to the Glovo app or website.
- After the order is confirmed, the store will prepare the item(s) and the courier will head up to the pick-up location. The user will receive the order in minutes.
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