Grassley, the highest ranking senator in America, in a letter addressed to the United States Department of Justice, had questioned the rationale behind the decision to return such funds to Nigeria in spite the high record of human rights violation by Buhari’s administration.
United States lawmaker, Senator Chuck Grassley, has said that the outcome of the trial of activist and journalist, Omoyele Sowore, and respect for rights of Nigerians by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari will play crucial roles in whether $320m laundered by late military dictator, Sani Abacha, will be repatriated to Nigeria.
Grassley, the highest ranking senator in America, in a letter addressed to the United States Department of Justice, had questioned the rationale behind the decision to return such funds to Nigeria in spite the high record of human rights violation by Buhari’s administration.
The lawmaker, who made reference to a Bloomberg report, also stated in the letter that the Nigerian Government had allegedly arranged to give the next tranche of the money from the United Kingdom to Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, who he claimed aided the looting by Abacha.
In the letter dated April 1, 2020 and addressed to the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the DoJ, Grassley pointed out that Nigeria’s corrupt history, its plan to return stolen money to an official involved in the original corruption and its refusal to assist the US with an Abacha forfeiture action, raised serious questions about how the MLARS was handling the matter.
He explained that it seemed odd that the DoJ would help facilitate the payment of $320m to the Nigerian Government "without first insisting on proper safeguards to prevent the further misuse of funds, as well as full cooperation in other forfeiture actions related to the Abacha loot."
He said, “The persecution of Christians is especially alarming as attacks have increased rapidly. According to Amnesty International, thousands of Nigerian Christians have been murdered in recent years.
“In late December, the US State Department labelled Nigeria a 'severe violator of religious freedom and put the country on a Special Watch List.
“The Buhari government’s own agencies have also abused the civil liberties of innocent Nigerian citizens.
“Last December’s re-arrest and detention of a US green card-holding journalist is just the latest, high profile example. The re-arrest and detainment of New Jersey resident, Omoyele Sowore – just one day after he was released by a judicial court – is a clear testament to its glaring contempt of judicial opinion and the rule of law.
“Mr Sowore is an activist journalist and former political opponent of President Buhari.
“Countless other Nigerian citizens are also being incarcerated in disastrous conditions. 
Omoyele Sowore
Omoyele Sowore
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