By Vivian Okejeme
Abuja
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has revealed that the Federal Ministry of Justice in line with the anti-corruption war, had recovered N57.9 billion as well as $US666.676 as fines on corporate organisations and corrupt individuals in the country.
Malami’s revelation came while defending 2017 Appropriation bill of the Federal Ministry of Justice before the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
The AGF’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Comrade Salihu Othman Isah disclosed that the minister gave highlights on how the recoveries were made.
According to him, “N50 billion was the fine paid by MTN Telecommunication Company while N7 billion and $10 Million US Dollar was recovered from private residence, N40Million and N50Million were voluntarily returned.
According to him, $250 million under interim forfeiture was alleged proceeds of oil bunkering and also $136.676 million awaiting actual remittance and $270 million was FGN fund recovered from commercial bank.
Isah added that the minister explained that his ministry operated throughout 2016 without capital budget.
“Our budgetary proposal of N18, 528,093,480.00 was not appropriated thereby compelling the Ministry to operate on a zero capital budget”, he informed the Senate Committee.
Going further, the AGF expressed satisfaction for the uncommon achievements recorded by the Ministry as a result of the recoveries made which culminated to increased revenue of the Federal Government.
He said, “I am happy to state however, that we as a Ministry recorded modest achievements in the act of contributing to the revenue generation of the Federal Government notwithstanding the zero capital budgets.”
