ON THE ALLEGED MISAPPROPRIATION OF $27M BY THE NIGERIAN EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON
The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to the above-mentioned allegation as carried in most national dallies of Friday, 28th June, 2013. The newspapers reported a public hearing conducted by the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, at which Nigeria's former Ambassador to the United States, Prof. George Obiozor, Nigeria's current Ambassador to the same Mission, Prof. Ade Adefuye, and Nigeria's current Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, Prof. Joy Ogwu appeared. The Committee was meeting to investigate allegations of the embezzlement of $27 million, being proceeds from the sale of Federal Government properties in Washington DC. The Ministry, however, wishes to inform the general public as follows:
i. That all monies involved in the sale of Federal Government properties were duly and completely accounted for.
ii. That the sales were duly authorized by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
iii. That the sum of Twenty Three Million, Five Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand, Four Hundred and Ninety Seven Dollars, and Eighty Four Cents ($23,586,497.84) was realised from the sale of the three (3) Federal Government-owned properties in Washington DC, United States of America, between 2004 and 2007, and not $27 million as reported in the papers.
2. It is pertinent to note that at the public hearing, and after introducing the theme, the Chairman of the Senate Committee, the very Distinguished Sen. (Amb.) Matthew Nwangwu, asked the Pressmen to take their leave as the session was going to proceed into a closed one. Thus, the Press were not privy to the comprehensive submissions of the three (3) distinguished diplomats. Without prejudice to the findings of the Committee, we reiterate, that the sales of these properties were duly authorised at the highest level, and that no fund was “missing” as alleged.
3. We, therefore, urge that patience be exercised as we await the final report of the Senate Committee's investigation into this issue.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Abuja.
28th June, 2013