AGF Denies Claims Of U.S. Court Seizing $21 Million From Nigeria

Lateef Fagbemi

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation,  Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has debunked reports that a United States District Court authorized Louis E. Williams to seize $21 million from Nigeria’s account with JP Morgan.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the AGF clarified that the initial reports originated from an unspecified online media platform (not Naija News) and were entirely false.

The Ministry of Justice criticized the outlets for not seeking a response from the ministry before publishing the claims.

Fagbemi challenged these media organizations to present any official U.S. court order about the alleged seizure, underscoring the ministry’s commitment to transparency and accuracy in reporting.

The statement read, “The ministry wishes to set the record straight regarding an inaccurate publication by Peoples Gazette and others alleging that a US District Court has authorized a certain Louis E. Williams to seize $21m from Nigeria’s account with JP Morgan.

“We wish to note from the report follows similarly inaccurate publications by Peoples Gazette on August 21, 2023, under the cover: ‘UK Court authorizes SSS victim Williams Emovbira to seize $21 million from CBN account with JP Morgan in New York’.

“None of the media outlets that syndicated the story sought the reaction of the Nigerian government. Indeed, the ministry challenges these media outlets to publish a copy of the US court order authorising the seizure.

“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.”

The statement said that, by the court’s decision of August 21, 2024, the case would now proceed to a substantive hearing.

A British-Nigerian businessman, Williams Emovbira, had narrated how he was abused and defrauded by the Nigerian domestic intelligence office in the 1980s and was demanding the order of the court to withdraw $21m from Nigeria’s account with JP Morgans as damages.

Speaking on the decision of the court, the Justice Ministry said, “The implication of the ruling rendered on August 21, 2024, is that the case would now proceed to a substantive hearing on merit, wherein parties are required to present evidence and legal submissions in support of their case before the court will issue a final decision.

“It is pertinent to state that Nigeria has filed an appeal against the interlocutory decision.

“Nigeria has launched robust legal defences/challenges in the UK and US courts against Williams’ claims, including by launching proceedings against him for fraud and, therefore, remains quite confident and optimistic that his attempts to strong-arm the Nigerian government will come to nought.”