By Our Correspondent
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), has called for transparent and accountable utilization of the $52.88 million recovered from former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke, recently repatriated by the United States government.
In a statement by its Executive Director, Comrade Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, CISLAC commended the collaboration between the Nigerian and U.S. governments in recovering the looted funds.
However, it urged the federal government to ensure the money is directed toward visible development projects that benefit Nigerians.
While acknowledging the government’s plan to allocate the funds to rural electrification through the World Bank, the group demanded clarity on implementation, questioning how much would directly impact citizens and whether government agencies would be involved.
Rafsanjani also criticized Nigeria’s 2025 budget for prioritizing luxury expenditures over pressing economic needs, stressing that the funds should be used to alleviate poverty and hunger.
CISLAC further emphasized the need for adherence to the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management), Act 2022, advocating for openness in asset recovery processes.
The organization insisted that Nigerians must be able to track the impact of these funds to ensure they serve the public good.
