The Federal Government has said that the latest recovered tranche of the funds looted by the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, has yet to be repatriated to Nigeria.

 

Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami made this known in a statement in reaction to a claim by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party that the recovered loot had been looted.

 

The minister had on February 4, 2020, on behalf of the Federal Government, signed a tripartite agreement between the United States of America and the Island of New Jersey for the repatriation of $300m of the abacha Loot.

 

But controversy has continued to trail the discovered loot following Bloomberg’s report of a claim by the US that the Federal Government was planning to hand over about $100m out of the money to Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State.

 

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sentenced a former Spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, to seven years in prison.

 

Metuh who was found guilty yesterday of all charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was also to return N375m to government.

 

Justice Okon Abang convicted him in a ruling on the N400m fraud case brought against him by the EFCC shortly after the PDP lost power in 2015.

 

The EFCC charged Metuh, who is standing trial alongside his company, Destra investment, with seven counts of money laundering and criminal diversion of said fund which he received from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

 

He said the former PDP spokesman lacked any documentary evidence to show that former President Jonathan authorized the release of N400m purportedly for security reasons without a contractual agreement.

 

Lawyers to Olisah Metuh and his company, Destra investment were disappointed with the ruling.

 

Senate yesterday directed the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Tukur Buratai, to re-establish a military command base in Garkida and all major settlements bordering Sambisa Forest.

 

This followed the adoption of a motion by Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed who noted that insurgents had attacked the areas and caused devastation.

 

She said insurgents that attacked Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa State stormed the area with seven gun-trucks and motorcycles on February 21, 2020.

 

According to her, three soldiers were killed in the dastardly attacks, while property worth millions of naira was burnt or destroyed including: public hospital, school, telecommunication facilities, Police stations and church.

 

The Senate also urged the North East Development Commission to rehabilitate public and religious institutions destroyed during the recent attacks by Boko Haram terrorists on communities in the state.