Diezani Alison-Madueke: ‘US Suspicious of FG,’ Senator Yusuf Speaks As America Returns $50m

• Senator Abubakar Yusuf has questioned why the huge money allegedly recovered from Diezani Alison-Madueke and her associates should go through the World Bank
• Senator Yusuf argued that since the money has become Nigeria’s fund, the African country should be able to decide how to spend it or what to to use it for
• The former federal legislator stated that the $52.88 million said to have been retreived from Diezani Alison-Madueke should have gone directly to the federation account

TheTalk.NG journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering politics and governance in Nigeria.

FCT, Abuja – Former federal lawmaker representing Taraba Central senatorial district, Senator Abubakar Yusuf, on Friday, January 10, 2025, said the United States (US) does not trust Nigeria concerning management of resources.

Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme, monitored by TheTalk.NG, Yusuf reacted to the American government’s return of $52.88 million in recovered assets to Nigeria. The recoveries were linked to former Nigerian minister of petroleum resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, and her associates.

Photo credit: @adex_smithjrSource: Twitter

Mrs Alison-Madueke and businessmen Olajide Omokore and Kolawole Akanni were named in two civil cases seeking the forfeiture of various luxury assets that were proceeds of corruption offences and were laundered in and through the US.

At an event in Abuja on Friday, January 10, 2025, Nigeria reached an accord with the US for the returned assets to be applied directly to developmental projects — rural electrification and counter-terrorism.

But reacting, Yusuf faulted the mandate by the US on the use of the money.

He said:

“For the United States of America to say it should go through the World Bank and to spend on rural electrification, is it the most important thing? Today, we are crying of insecurity in this country much more than having electricity in our rural areas. Why would the money go through the bank and then go through rural electricity? There is something suspicious.

”The US is suspicious of the federal government of Nigeria; how we use our resources. In the first place, it is ours, it has been recovered, so why should it go through the World Bank?”

Watch the video below:

Read more about Diezani Alison-Madueke:

Did Diezani beg Tinubu to return to Nigeria?

Meanwhile, the former minister of petroleum denied granting an interview in London recently where she begged President Bola Tinubu to allow her to return home.

Diezani, who served in Goodluck Jonathan’s government, fled Nigeria in 2015 and has been in the United Kingdom (UK).

The erstwhile minister said she did not grant any interview recently and described the report as “fake” and “concocted.”

Source: TheTalk.NG

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