We have stepped up efforts to recover stolen funds - Buhari

                                             United States congressman, Mr Darrel Issah, 

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday in Abuja said that his administration had intensified efforts to recover looted Nigerian funds.

The President, who announced this at an audience with visiting United States congressmen, said government had taken steps further by identifying banks, financial institutions and countries in which payments for stolen Nigerian crude oil were deposited.

President Buhari acknowledged the support and cooperation his administration was getting from the international community in gathering required intelligence for tracing and recovering stolen national resources.

``We are getting cooperation from the international community, including information on ships that take crude oil from Nigeria and change direction, or offload their contents into other ships mid-stream. 

``Some monies were paid to individual accounts. We are identifying the financial institutions and countries that are involved. 

``I have been assured that when we get all our documents together, the United States and other countries will treat our case with sympathy,’’ the president told the congressmen, led by Rep. Darrel Issa.

According to him, his administration will welcome more regular meetings of the Nigeria-United States Bi-National Commission.

He noted that the commission could serve as a more useful platform for the promotion of bilateral trade and economic relations as well as joint cooperation in the war against terrorism. 

Rep. Darrel had earlier assured President Buhari that the United States would support Nigeria against Boko Haram by providing training, intelligence and military platforms.

``We look forward to helping you in many ways to end the Boko Haram insurgency and the theft of crude oil in the Gulf of Guinea,’’ he said.