The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has refuted claims that a U.S. District Court has authorized Louis E. Williams to seize $21 million from Nigeria’s account with JP Morgan.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Ministry of Justice emphasized that these assertions, first reported by an online media platform .
The statement criticized the media outlets for not seeking a response from the ministry and challenged them to provide any court order related to the alleged seizure. It clarified that the U.S. District Court has not authorized any seizure of Nigerian government funds, noting, “The ministry wishes to set the record straight regarding an inaccurate publication by Peoples Gazette and others.”
The statement went on to highlight that the U.S. District Court only refused Nigeria’s preliminary motion to dismiss the complaint against it on sovereign immunity grounds. It reiterated, “At no time did the U.S. District Court authorize the seizure of funds belonging to the Nigerian government in the custody of JP Morgan.” Following the court’s decision on August 21, 2024, the case will proceed to a substantive hearing.
Williams, a British-Nigerian businessman, has alleged mistreatment and fraud by the Nigerian domestic intelligence service in the 1980s and is seeking a court order for the withdrawal of $21 million in damages.
In response to the court’s ruling, the Justice Ministry stated that Nigeria has filed an appeal against the interlocutory decision and is pursuing robust legal defenses in both UK and U.S. courts against Williams’ claims, including filing proceedings against him for fraud.
The ministry remains confident that Williams’ attempts to pressure the Nigerian government will ultimately fail.
