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US court did not order seizure of Nigeria’s $21m – AGF

US court did not order seizure of Nigeria’s $21m – AGF

Lateef Fagbemi, (SAN), the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has in a media report denied claims that a United States District Court authorised Louis E. Williams to seize $21m from Nigeria’s account with JP Morgan.

According to a media report, the Ministry of Justice, in a statement signed by the AGF, on Wednesday, clarified that the inaccuracies first published by an online media platform were completely false.

The statement criticised the online media platform reports for failing to seek the ministry’s response, as he challenged the media outlet to provide a copy of any US court order related to the alleged seizure.

Read also: Court adjourns Bello’s money laundering case as he heads to supreme court

“The ministry hereby clarifies that at no time did the US District Court authorise the seizure of funds belonging to the Nigerian government in the custody of JP Morgan. The court only refused Nigeria’s preliminary motion to dismiss the complaint against it on the ground of sovereign immunity.”

Media report quotes the ministry as explaining that by the court’s decision of August 21, 2024, the case would now proceed to a substantive hearing.

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