Tinubu Receives Macron’sEnvoy as France Prepares to Return $150m Abacha Loot

President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, in Abuja, expressed Nigeria’s gratitude to France for its resolve to return $150 million stolen by the late military dictator, General Sani Abacha.

The development came on the heels of another landmark as both countries, also on Friday, signed a €100 million agreement to support the Tinubu Administration’s initiative to promote investment in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Creative Arts Industries, popularly known as i-DICE programme.

The two momentous occasions were revealed in a press statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.

Receiving the French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ms. Catherine Colonna, who delivered the heart-warming news at the State House, Abuja, Friday, President Tinubu said:

“Thank you for the good news on the return of Abacha loot. We appreciate your effective cooperation concerning the return of Nigeria’s money. It will be judiciously applied in attaining our development objectives.”

The €100 million agreement between Nigeria and France to support the Federal Government’s i-DICE programme was signed by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Technology, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, and the visiting French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, at an earlier event at Tafawa Balewa House, situated at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs also in the nation’s capital.

According to Ngelale, President Tinubu commended the strengthening of bilateral relations between Nigeria and France, noting that this progress followed his visit to Paris after his inauguration.

While emphasizing the need to reinforce collaboration on both political and economic fronts, the President welcomed the growing cooperation between the two countries in the areas of their shared interest, such as climate change, economic integration, education, and culture.

On the situation in Niger Republic, President Tinubu, who is the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, said Nigeria was monitoring the situation in the neighbouring country, and exploring diplomatic channels to avoid bloodshed.

“Leadership is about responding to the needs of the people; their cries, and their frustrations. Nigeria shares a border with Niger across the expanse of seven Nigerian states, and most of these states are very populated. Therefore, I need to guide ECOWAS carefully and steadily so that we manage our anger carefully.

”We have a colleague and a democratically-elected leader, President Bazoum, being used as a human shield. If we are not careful, he and his family can be endangered.

”I am deploying all appropriate back-channel strategies to avoid bloodshed in Niger Republic. We recognize the wishes of our people; they do not want war, but that does not mean we can not take bold and decisive action,” the President affirmed.

President Tinubu said Nigeria will continue to galvanize international partners in the determined pursuit of a peaceful resolution to the situation in Niger Republic.

The French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs conveyed the goodwill of President Emmanuel Macron and expressed the readiness of France to expand mutually beneficial collaboration with Nigeria across multiple sectors.

She proceeded to extend a formal invitation to President Bola Tinubu to attend the forthcoming Paris Peace Forum.

Speaking on the Abacha loot, the French Presidential Envoy said the repatriation followed the completion of legal processes.

“It was a long process, but we are glad that it was concluded. Sometimes, justice may be slow, but this is a very good achievement,” she said.

Ms. Colonna also commended President Tinubu’s leadership in ECOWAS, saying: “We support your efforts at ECOWAS. We are behind you because we believe that constitutional order is a treasure for all countries, and democracy must be a reality.”