The government of Switzerland returned $700 million worth of assets looted from Nigeria by former dictator Sani Abacha and closed the case in 2009, its top envoy to Nigeria said.

Ambassador of Switzerland to Nigeria, Hans-Rudolf Hodel, said his government had a returned a total sum of $1.7billion both in cash and assets to Nigeria and other countries in the last 15 years, AllAfrica quoted a report on the Leadership.

According to Hodel, the countries to which the looted funds and assets were returned include: Montesinos case, Peru (2005), the Marcos case, the Phillipines (2003), the Angolese assets case, Angola (2005) and the Abacha case, Nigeria (2005).

“In December 1999, Nigeria presented to Switzerland a formal request for mutual legal assistance involving former Head of State, Sani Abacha. On the basis of Swiss legislation in partnership with Nigerian authorities, it was able to gather all relevant information to proceed, between 2005 and 2009 with the restitution of the funds to the Nigerian government,” Hodel told reporters.

Last year The Guardian reported that Nigerian police recovered a stash of gold and diamond jewellery worth thousands of pounds from robbers who targeted a home of the country’s most notorious former military dictator.

Abacha  is believed to have stolen $4.3bn while in office. In one case, he was accused of gutting a $500m state-owned steel plant. The tradition has continued as Nigeria’s oil wealth continues to be looted.

Regarding investigations into the fraudulent activities of some Nigerian marketers in the fuel subsidy scheme under the Petroleum Support Fund (PSF), he said the Swiss government in 2012 received a request from Nigeria for mutual legal assistance.

“The request has been forwarded to the competent Swiss judicial authorities who are in contact with the competent Nigerian judicial authorities. Legal proceedings are ongoing and we cannot provide any further information,” Hodel said.