The United States government has agreed to help Nigeria recover all identified ill-gotten wealth in countries in which it has jurisdiction, including the U.S itself.
The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, disclosed this in a statement Tuesday.
Shehu quoted American Attorney-General, Loretta Lynch, as giving this assurance on Monday while meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on the support for anti-corruption war in Nigeria.
He also quoted Lynch as assuring that the United States would also offer training to judicial staff and prosecutors "in order to place Nigeria in a good position to uncover proceeds of corruption and for improved prosecution of cases of crime."
The presidential aide said details of the meeting indicated that the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty signed between the US and Nigeria in 1985, which came into effect in 2003, would "be given some teeth."
Shehu said: "There will be collaboration. Each of the two countries will receive legal assistance from the other on criminal matters and that should cover the recovery of ill-gotten wealth.
"On extradition, we already have a treaty with U.S. By virtue of being a former British colonial territory. There is however the possibility that Nigeria might negotiate a new extradition treaty to meet our other requirements. The negotiation will be done under the auspices of a 're-energized' U.S-Nigeria Bi-National Commission."
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