NACIWA President Vows Recovery of ECOWAS’ Stolen Assets

The Network of Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA), has vowed to recover all of the region’s stolen assets, including looted artifacts by Western nations, with interest.

NACIWA President, Ola Olukoyede made the pledge at the 6th Annual General Assembly of the Network which was held at the ECOWAS Secretariat, Abuja, Nigeria from 19th – 21st August, 2024.

Speaking at the conference themed, “Implementing the ECOWAS protocol against Corruption towards Strengthening Institutions for Regional Unity”, Olukoyede, who is also the Chairman of Nigeria’s foremost Anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, said NACIWA is going to press for full operationalization of the  ECOWAS Protocol on anti-corruption within the Sub-region.

He noted with concern the existing United Nations and European Union protocols which do not address the peculiar needs of Africa, especially the West African region.

“We have been using the existing UN Protocol which has come on board but we felt that those protocols didn’t address some peculiar needs of our sub-region”, he said.

Olukoyede also said that the assembly will use the instrumentality of the ECOWAS Protocol to address the complex issues of outflow of assets and resources out of Africa, their repatriation as well as other areas not covered by the EU or UN protocols.

“For example, some artifacts have been taken to some museums within the Western world, U.S, European countries, and all of that.

“For decades, if not centuries, people have been going into the museums, paying to look at these artifacts.

“What happened to the proceeds that they have generated from these artifacts over the years? So, it is not just for them to return the artifacts”, he said.

In his remarks, Mr. Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, called for collective efforts in the fight against corruption.

“As we have heard during the presentation, over $80 billion annually flows out of the region illegally, this money could have been used to protect the livelihoods of our population”, he said.

He further stated that terrorism is a major concern in the region, which requires an integrated approach by all concerned for us to effectively combat it.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, and many other stakeholders.