The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has refuted allegations that a US District Court authorized the seizure of $21m from Nigeria’s account with JP Morgan by Louis E. Williams.
In a statement released by the Ministry of Justice and signed by the AGF, it was clarified that the claims made by an online media platform were completely false and the US District Court did not authorize any seizure of Nigerian government funds.
The ministry criticized the reports for their inaccuracy and failure to seek the ministry’s response. The statement challenged media outlets to provide a copy of any US court order related to the alleged seizure.
Despite the court’s decision on August 21, 2024, allowing the case to proceed to a substantive hearing, Nigeria remains confident in its legal defenses against Williams’ claims. The ministry emphasized that Nigeria has filed an appeal against the court’s ruling and is prepared to challenge the allegations in both UK and US courts.