Just In: Jersey to Return $9.5m in Recovered Loot to Nigeria
By Wellington Jopelo
The Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu has recorded another major success in its fight against corruption, as the Bailiwick of Jersey agreed to return more than $9.5 million traced to illicit funds belonging to Nigeria.
The agreement was sealed through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Jersey and the Federal Government of Nigeria, paving the way for the repatriation of the recovered funds to support a key infrastructure project in the country.
His Majesty’s Attorney General for Jersey, Mark Temple KC, signed the MoU in December 2025, while the agreement was formally confirmed in Abuja on Friday, January 9, 2026, according to a statement issued by the British High Commission through Stephen Odekunle.
The funds were confiscated following a ruling by the Royal Court of Jersey on January 12, 2024, which found that the money kept in a Jersey bank account was more likely than not the proceeds of corruption.
The court held that the funds were linked to a corrupt scheme in which third-party contractors diverted government resources for the benefit of senior Nigerian officials and their associates.
The forfeiture was carried out under the Forfeiture of Assets (Civil Proceedings) (Jersey) Law 2018, which allows civil recovery of assets suspected to be proceeds of crime.
Temple said the recovery showed the strength of Jersey’s anti-corruption laws and the effectiveness of its cooperation with Nigerian authorities. He praised both governments for their commitment to tracking and recovering stolen assets.
“This successful return demonstrates the strength of our civil forfeiture legislation as a powerful tool in the fight against corruption,” Temple said, while commending the Economic Crime and Confiscation Unit for its role in the recovery process.
The latest MoU builds on two earlier agreements between Jersey and Nigeria, under which more than $300 million has already been returned to fund major projects, including the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, the Second Niger Bridge, and the Abuja–Kano Road.
The Lagos–Ibadan Expressway and the Second Niger Bridge have since been completed, while the newly repatriated $9.5 million will be used to support the final stages of the Abuja–Kano Road project.
The 375-kilometre highway is considered a vital transport route linking Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja, with Kano, the country’s second-largest commercial hub.
Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), welcomed the development, saying it reflects the Tinubu administration’s resolve to track stolen funds across borders.
“The successful recovery and repatriation of the forfeited assets underscores the effectiveness of Nigeria’s collaboration with international partners and sends a clear message that there is no safe haven for illicit wealth,” Fagbemi said.
He also assured Jersey authorities that the recovered funds would be properly used in line with the terms of the MoU, adding that the government remains committed to transparency and accountability.