Ex-president Jonathan’s aide returns 1.5bn NGN loot to FG

As reported by New Telegraph, a close security aide of former President Goodluck Jonathan who was recently interrogated by security agents, had refunded to the Federal Government the sum of 1.5 billion Nigeria nairas he allegedly acquired illegally in office.

The report which did not disclose the name of the aide said that President Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade has started yielding results with the recovery of billions of naira from some officials who served in the immediate past administration.

The report said “The security agency has recovered 1.5 billion NGN from an aide of former President Goodluck Jonathan. After a series of investigation, the money was traced to his account, which he could not explain the source as a public servant."


“The aide is not alone as some others have voluntarily returned money to the Federal Government to avoid prosecution,” a source in the presidential villa said.

Already, the Federal Government has concluded arrangements to create an escrow account for the lodgement of the recovered funds. Buhari had sought the assistance of foreign partners and institutions to help Nigeria in the recovery of over $150 billion stolen funds stashed in foreign banks.

It was learnt that about 1.5 billion NGN has been recovered from one of the aides of the former president. Multiple sources confirmed that the money was traced to the aide who could not explain the source of the fund, considered to be proceeds from corrupt practices.

It was further learnt that the government has traced $1 billion to a single bank account in one of the western countries.

The money, believed to be proceeds from corruption, was said to belong to an official of the Jonathan administration. “We are making headways. Don’t forget that Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State revealed that one of Jonathan’s ministers stashed $6 billion abroad. As at today, we have traced $1 billion into an account in one of the Western countries. We will soon come up with startling revelations,” the source said. But the Buhari administration is keeping secret the identity of those who have voluntarily returned stolen money.

A presidency official confided in New Telegraph that people are coming up with concrete evidence on the plundering of the nation’s commonwealth by past public office holders and public servants. “People are coming forward with documents on how the treasury was plundered.

Some details of the sordid transactions in the oil sector have been submitted to President Buhari. Nigerians will be surprised with the mindless looting of the treasury with those trusted with the nation’s commonwealth. It’s mind-boggling,” the source said. It was learnt that some of the permanent secretaries and top government officials had presented some damning documents on former public office holders relating to corrupt practices.