SERAP to World Bank: ‘You must tell us how FG spent returned Abacha loot’

SERAP

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an appeal to Access to Information Appeals Board against the World Bank on grounds that the bank provided “patently insufficient information” on how the Federal Government of Nigeria spent the recovered Sani Abacha loot.

The group also gave a list of explanations it expected to receive from the world bank in its petition to the AI.

In a statement released on Sunday, February 7, SERAP revealed that following the World Bank’s failure to give them access to the entire details of the looted funds found in foreign accounts traced to the deceased Head of State, it had forwarded an appeal to AI.

The group continued that the World Bank had violated the AI policy by not providing the full information requested labeling the actions of the bank as “improper or unreasonable restriction of access to information”.

SERAP, in the appeal signed by it deputy executive director Olukayode Majekodunmi dated Friday, February 5 stated that: “Following receipt of several documents from the World Bank totalling over 700 pages on the Abacha loot, SERAP commenced independent investigations and verification of some of the information supplied with appropriate agencies and institutions of government.

“SERAP is concerned that the World Bank failed and/or neglected to provide several portions of the information requested on the spending of recovered Abacha loot managed by the Bank.

“SERAP notes that one of the guiding principles of the Policy on Access to Information (AI Policy) is recognizing the right to an appeals process when a request for information in the World Bank’s possession is improperly or unreasonably denied.

“SERAP argues that there is a strong public interest case here to override the corporate administrative matters, deliberative information or financial information exceptions of the AI Policy if the information being requested falls under one of these exceptions.

“SERAP believes that it is not harmful for the Bank to disclose specific details of the information requested. SERAP also notes that the sole remedy available to those who prevail in the appeals process is to receive the information requested.”

The group asked the AI appeal board to compel the World Bank to disclose the following information.

*Evidence and list of the 23 projects allegedly completed with recovered Abacha loot, and whether the 26 projects were actually completed; and what became of the 2 abandoned projects.

*Evidence and location of the 8 health centers built with recovered Abacha loot reviewed by the World Bank

*Evidence and location of the 18 power projects confirmed by the World Bank

*How the $50mn Abacha loot received before 2005 kept in the special account was spent

*Evidence and location of schools which benefited from the Universal Basic Education (UBE) program in the amount of N24.25 billion

*Evidence and location of the 13 road projects completed with the recovered Abacha loot, including the names of the 3 of the largest road and bridge projects in each geo-political zone

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