Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said the United States and Nigeria were collaborating to repatriate over $500m stolen from the country.

Buhari, who made the announcement at a joint press conference with Trump after a meeting of the two leaders at the White House, said the funds were stashed away in banks across the world.

The President said his team and that of Trump’s discussed issues relating to security, trade, governance, human rights and humanitarian crises.

He said, “Our two governments have put the machinery in place for our respective Attorneys-General to collaborate in ensuring the return to Nigeria of over $500m looted funds stashed away in banks around the world.

“In this connection, we congratulate the US government on launching a Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative which was spearheaded by the US Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering.

“We hope that we could continue to count on the US support in this area.”