The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has given claimants a 90-day ultimatum to challenge the planned repatriation of $625 million of the ‘Abacha Loot’ to the Nigerian government.

This is just as the Federal Government has initiated talks with the family of the Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu to give up their claim to $145 million traced to the family of the late Military Head of State, General Sani Abacha in the United States.

The US also gave conditions for releasing another $480 million also linked to Abacha but has been forfeited by US courts to the country’s Department of Justice.

This was an outcome of the meeting between the Attorney General of the Federation  and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) and the US Attorney General, Jeff Sessions during the four – day official visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Washington earlier this month.

Reports say the US government was willing to release the $145 million held in what they described as the “Blue Trust” to the Federal Government but for the suit instituted against the repatriation of the money by the Bagudus.

There are also indications that if the Bagudu family is willing to allow the US to enter into a default judgment regarding the money, it would repatriate the $145 million and another $480 million, totalling $625 million to the Nigerian government by September.

To facilitate the deal, Malami had assured his US counterpart that he would negotiate with the lawyers representing the Bagudu family to give up their claim to the money, as well as dialogue with third parties laying claim to the $480 million already with the DOJ.

However, the third parties have been given 90 days to appeal the decision of the US government to release the funds to Nigeria, failling which it will be repatriated by September.

Some of the conditions given by the US government before the funds would be released to the Federal Government include the demand that Nigeria must identify specific projects that the Buhari – led administration would expend the money on and also a demand that a framework for monitoring the spending of the funds be put in place.

Between 1994 and 1998, the Abacha family allegedly stole more than $2 billion from Nigeria under the pretext that the money was meant for national security.