The former federal lawmaker representing the Taraba Central Senatorial District, Senator Abubakar Yusuf, has asserted that the United States (US) does not trust Nigeria to manage resources.
Henzodaily reports that Yusuf made this known while featuring on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme, on Friday, January 10, 2025.
Yusuf’s comment was in response to the American government’s return of $52.88 million in recovered assets to Nigeria, which were linked to former Nigerian minister of petroleum resources Diezani Alison-Madueke and her associates.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, announced the recovery during a formal signing ceremony of the asset return agreement in Abuja.
Fagbemi explained that $50 million of the recovered funds would be channelled through the World Bank for the development of rural electrification projects.
He added that the remaining $2.88 million would be allocated to the International Institute of Justice to enhance the justice system and support anti-corruption initiatives.
But reacting, Yusuf faulted the US mandate for the use of the money.
He said: “For the United States of America to say it should go through the World Bank and to spend on rural electrification, is it the most important thing? Today, we are crying of insecurity in this country much more than having electricity in our rural areas. Why would the money go through the bank and then go through rural electricity? There is something suspicious.
‘The US is suspicious of the federal government of Nigeria; how we use our resources. In the first place, it is ours, it has been recovered, so why should it go through the World Bank?”