Tinubu’s Adviser Says There Is No Evidence That Bagudu Misappropriated Funds

According to Ireporter Online, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has asserted that there is no evidence implicating the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, in the misappropriation of public funds.

Bwala made the remarks during an appearance on the Head to Head programme on Al Jazeera, hosted by Mehdi Hasan, where he addressed questions regarding the Tinubu administration’s position on corruption.

During the interview, Hasan highlighted concerns about Bagudu’s appointment, citing allegations by the United States Department of Justice that linked the minister to financial crimes during the regime of the late Sani Abacha. The US Department of Justice stated in 2020 that Bagudu was part of a network allegedly involved in embezzling, misappropriating, and extorting billions of dollars from the Nigerian government in the 1990s.

Following Abacha’s death, the Nigerian government engaged Swiss lawyer Enrico Monfrini in 1999 to pursue legal actions aimed at recovering assets tied to the late military ruler, his family, and associates across multiple jurisdictions. At the time, assets associated with Bagudu, reportedly connected to the Abacha family, were frozen alongside those linked to the former leader.

Responding to these concerns, Bwala emphasized that Bagudu’s current role in the Tinubu administration is not tainted by any proven wrongdoing under Nigerian law. “There is no evidence that Bagudu has misappropriated funds. The decision of the court in the United States does not bind the Supreme Court of Nigeria,” he said, adding that actions by US authorities do not constitute proof of misconduct within Nigeria’s legal system.

Bwala reiterated, “There is no evidence that the minister has misappropriated funds in the government of Nigeria,” underlining the legal distinction between foreign allegations and domestic judicial findings.