The Journalists Against Corruption (JAC), a non -governmental, not-for-profit advocacy group, has called on western countries, especially European, American, Spanish, Swiss and other nations whose citizens were duped by Nigerians but had their funds and properties returned to them recently by the Economic and and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to reciprocate the Nigeria’s gesture.

To underline its commitment to tackling economic and financial crimes and offering restitution to victims of fraudulent practices, the EFCC last week handed over $132,362.43 (N78,566, 324. 81) to American, Spanish and Swiss victims of local fraudsters.

 JAC, in a statement at the weekend by its Programme Coordinator, Kehinde Osifisan, said: “It is binding on the foreign countries not only to reciprocate the gesture of the EFCC but also to ease the access of the Nigerian government to proceeds of corruption stashed away by Nigerians in these foreign countries, especially by politically exposed persons.

 “It is actually ridiculous, hypocritical and unacceptable for these countries to hold on to proceeds of corruption from Nigerian for years, and in some instances, decades, and then turn around to give funny conditions to Nigerian government before the money could be accessed.

 “In fact, it is our firm demand that the stashed away funds by Nigerians in these foreign countries, having been used for the benefits of their economies, should be returned to Nigeria with calculated interest, instead of dictating to a sovereign nation how it should spend its recovered wealth,” the group said.