JERSEY Returns $9.5 million of tainted funds to the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – this follows $300 million!!

As shown below, JERSEY continues to demonstrate, through the recovery and repatriation of forfeited assets, that Jersey is no haven for illicitly acquired wealth or assets.

• On 29 November 2023, the Attorney General applied to the Royal Court of Jersey under the Forfeiture of Assets (Civil Proceedings) (Jersey) Law 2018 in respect of tainted property held in a Jersey bank account.
• On 12 January 2024, the Royal Court granted a forfeiture order, finding that the funds were more likely than not the proceeds of a corrupt scheme in which third-party contractors diverted government funds for the benefit of senior Nigerian officials and their associates.
• In December 2025, His Majesty’s Attorney General for Jersey, Mark Temple KC, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) to facilitate the return of more than $9.5 million to the Government of Nigeria, providing additional resources for a critical infrastructure project.

The MOU builds on two previous agreements between Jersey and Nigeria, under which more than $300 million has already been repatriated to support three major infrastructure projects:

1. The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway;
2. The Second Niger Bridge and the Abuja-Kano Road.

The first two projects are now complete.

Under the terms of the 2025 MOU, the forfeited funds will contribute to the final stages of

• The Abuja-Kano Road—a 375 km highway that will provide a vital link between Nigeria’s capital and its second-largest city.

His Majesty's Attorney General, Mark Temple KC, said:

• “This successful return demonstrates the strength of our civil forfeiture legislation as a powerful tool in the fight against corruption. I thank the Nigerian authorities for their cooperation and the Economic Crime and Confiscation Unit in my Department for their unwavering commitment to recover the proceeds of crime.” 

The Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, said:

• “The successful recovery and repatriation of the forfeited assets underscores the effectiveness of Nigeria’s collaborative efforts with its international partners in ensuring that there is no safe haven for illicitly acquired wealth or assets moved to foreign jurisdictions.
• I want to, on behalf of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, thank the Bailiwick of Jersey for the cooperation accorded Nigeria during the Recovery exercise. 
• I want to further assure the Bailiwick of Jersey, that the repatriated assets will be judiciously utilized in line with the terms of the executed Memorandum of Understanding.”
• Memorandum of Understanding with Nigeria

Longer read…..

Jersey’s role in international asset recovery

Jersey has developed a strong reputation over the past two decades for cooperating with international partners to identify, restrain, confiscate, and repatriate the proceeds of corruption. This work is led by the Attorney General for Jersey, who has statutory responsibility for civil recovery, criminal confiscation, and mutual legal assistance.

The legal framework supporting this activity was strengthened by the Forfeiture of Assets (Civil Proceedings) (Jersey) Law 2018, which enables the Royal Court to order the forfeiture of assets where it is shown, on the civil standard of proof, that property represents the proceeds of unlawful conduct — even where a criminal conviction has not been secured abroad.

The Nigerian corruption context

Nigeria has long faced challenges related to the large-scale diversion of public funds, particularly in major infrastructure, energy, and construction projects.

In many cases, corrupt schemes are involved:

• Inflated or fictitious contracts
• Payments routed through intermediaries or shell companies
• Funds ultimately placed in offshore financial centres for concealment and laundering

Nigeria has therefore worked extensively with jurisdictions such as Jersey, Switzerland, and the UK to recover stolen public assets and ensure their return in a transparent and accountable manner.

The Jersey proceedings

In the present case, funds held in a Jersey bank account were identified as suspected proceeds of corruption, linked to a scheme in which:

• Government monies were diverted through third-party contractors
• The ultimate beneficiaries were senior Nigerian officials and their associates

On 29 November 2023, Jersey’s Attorney General applied to the Royal Court of Jersey for civil forfeiture.
On 12 January 2024, the Court concluded that it was more likely than not that the funds were tainted by corruption and granted a forfeiture order under the 2018 Law.

This process reflects Jersey’s increasing reliance on non-conviction-based asset recovery as an effective tool when criminal proceedings in the source country are complex, delayed, or impractical.

Memorandum of Understanding and safeguards

In December 2025, His Majesty’s Attorney General for Jersey, Mark Temple KC, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

MOUs of this kind are now a standard feature of international repatriations and serve several purposes:

• They ensure returned funds are used solely for agreed public projects
• They introduce transparency, reporting, and monitoring mechanisms
• They reduce reputational risk to the returning jurisdiction by demonstrating that funds will not be remisappropriated

Continuity with earlier Jersey–Nigeria recoveries

This repatriation builds on a well-established cooperation framework between Jersey and Nigeria. Under two earlier agreements, more than USD 300 million previously confiscated in Jersey has already been returned and allocated to:

1. The Lagos–Ibadan Expressway
2. The Second Niger Bridge
3. The Abuja–Kano Road

The Lagos–Ibadan Expressway and the Second Niger Bridge have since been completed, providing tangible evidence that recovered assets have been converted into visible public benefit.

Use of the current funds

Under the new MOU, the USD 9.5 million forfeited in Jersey will be applied to the final stages of the Abuja–Kano Road, a 375-kilometre highway linking:

• Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, and
• Kano, its second‑largest city and a major commercial centre in the north

The project is regarded as strategically important for national integration, trade, and economic development.

Wider significance

This case highlights several broader points of international importance:

• The growing effectiveness of civil forfeiture in tackling global corruption
• Jersey’s practical commitment to international AML/CFT standards
• The increasing expectation that recovered assets must deliver measurable public outcomes
• A shift from symbolic asset recovery to development-focused repatriation

In short, the story reflects not only a successful enforcement outcome but also a mature and accountable approach to returning stolen wealth to the populations from whom it was taken.

Source

https://www.lawofficers.je/publications/news/return-of-tainted-funds/