FG tracking oil theft proceeds in banks – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said his administration has taken a further step to recover looted Nigerian funds.

He said his government had started  identifying banks, financial institutions and countries in which payments for stolen Nigerian crude oil had been deposited.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President spoke while granting audience to the United States Congressmen at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

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Adesina, said the President acknowledged the support and cooperation his administration was getting from the international community in gathering required intelligence for tracing and recovering stolen national resources.

“We are getting cooperation from the international community, including information on ships that take crude oil from Nigeria and change direction, or pour their contents into other ships mid-stream.

“Some monies were paid to individual accounts. We are identifying the financial institutions and countries that are involved.

“I have been assured that when we get all our documents together, the United States and other countries will treat our case with sympathy,’’ the President was quoted as telling the congressmen led by Rep. Darrel Issa.

He also told them that his administration would welcome more regular meetings of the Nigeria-United States Bi-National Commission.

He noted that the commission could serve as a more useful platform for the promotion of bilateral trade and economic relations as well as joint cooperation in the war against terrorism.

Darrel assured Buhari that the US would support Nigeria against Boko Haram by providing training, intelligence and military platforms.

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“We look forward to helping you in many ways to end the Boko Haram insurgency and the theft of crude oil in the Gulf of Guinea,’’ he said.