It’s imperative to address urgent challenges affecting Nigeria and US mutual interests.
Oru Leonard
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar has said it is imperative to address urgent challenges affecting the two countries’ mutual interests.
This is just as the Federal Government of Nigeria wants the United States (US) to take a more earnest approach to repatriating Nigeria’s looted assets.
Tuggar who was Represented by Ambassador Adamu Lamuwa, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, made the plea during the inauguration of the sixth session of the Nigeria-US Bi-National Commission in Abuja.
He stressed the importance of the US redoubling its efforts to ensure that embezzled funds are returned to Nigeria to bolster its developmental endeavors.
He underscored that as both nations focus on five key areas of cooperation, it’s imperative to address urgent challenges affecting their mutual interests.
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ms. Molley Phee, representing United States Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, highlighted the shared challenges between Nigeria and the US, emphasizing the necessity for collaborative efforts in addressing them.
She emphasized the crucial role of security cooperation in their relationship, affirming the United States’ commitment to assisting Nigeria in building a robust military capable of combating terrorism while upholding human rights.
The Nigeria-US Bi-National Commission encompasses various working groups dedicated to fostering cooperation across a spectrum of areas between the two countries.
In November 2022, the US Department of Justice transferred over $20.6m to the federal government by an August 23 agreement between the governments to repatriate assets the United States forfeited that were traceable to former military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, and his co-conspirators.
The repatriation at the time brought the total amount forfeited and returned by the United States to approximately $332.4m.
Photo Credit: FRCN
