Malami’s Memorable Accomplishments in 2022 (III)
By Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu
8. ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ ๐ง ๐๐ข๐ซ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ In an effort to strengthen bilateral relationships with other foreign investors in the country, the office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice continued to work towards improvement in bilateral relations with other nations through the preparation and vetting of Agreements/Memorandum of Understandings aimed at attracting foreign investments and has vetted and cleared over 250 agreements.
In July 2022, oil and gas related matters were negotiated and relevant instruments executed during the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Spain and Portugal. Nigeria also negotiated and signed Agreements/Memorandum of Understanding with Ivory Coast, Burundi, Rwanda, Turkey, Gambia, South Africa, Iran, Benin Republic, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, etc With these initiatives, more businesses were developed/enhanced and Nigeriaโs ranking in ease of doing business was elevated.
9. ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง The office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice facilitated the ratification of Nigeriaโs Accession to the (Budapest) Convention on Cybercrime (CETS No.185) which was assented to by the President on 4th July 2022.
The (Budapest) Convention on Cybercrime is the sole international instrument on Cybercrime which sets out the framework for harmonizing Criminalization, procedural powers and International Cooperation – all of which serve Nigeria’s strategic national interest in the fight against Cybercrime, and aligns with the National Cyber security Strategy, 2021.
Similarly, through the Office of the AGF Nigeria coordinating African Continent on support, ratification and domestication of the Rome Statute. In December last year, Malami stated this in Netherlands while delivering Nigeria’s County Statement at the 21st session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the Hague.
10. ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ ๐ง ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐๐ข๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ, the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice recovered a total sum of ยฃ6,324,627.66 (Six Million, Three Hundred & Twenty-Four Thousand, Six Hundred & Twenty Seven Pounds, Sixty-Six Pence) from various jurisdictions between March 2021 and May 2022.
Some of the recovered funds are being utilized judiciously in the financing of critical infrastructures including Abuja โ Kano Expressway, Second Niger Bridge, and Lagos โ Ibadan Expressway.
11. ๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐๐ฒ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐ฌ The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice was able to save Nigerian from the payment of N20 billion
damages. The legal team from the Chambers of the Attorney General of the Federation defended the Federal Government at the Ibadan Division of the Court of Appeal against the enforcement of the damages regarding the arrest of Yoruba nation agitator; Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho.
(to be continued).
