U.S. President Donald Trump has made the surprising decision to disband the Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative, an elite team within the Department of Justice (DOJ) responsible for tracing stolen assets, including the billions of dollars looted by Nigeria's late military leader, Sani Abacha.
The move, which was quietly authorized by Trump and implemented by newly appointed Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this week, comes as part of the Trump administration's broader efforts to wind down several government programs. The Kleptocracy Initiative, established in 2010, had been instrumental in tracking down assets tied to international corruption, including Abacha's loot, some of which was still being litigated in U.S. courts.
This decision is especially significant as the team was working on recovering stolen funds linked to ongoing cases, including a high-profile case involving Atiku Bagudu, a key ally of President Bola Tinubu. The disbanding of the initiative could potentially complicate future efforts to trace and recover undiscovered Abacha funds.
The DOJ has yet to comment on how it will proceed with ongoing cases or cooperate with international partners, such as the UK, where Abacha-related recoveries are also underway. The Trump administration has stated that its focus will now shift to dismantling narcotics and human trafficking networks.
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