James Ibori Loot: Federal Government is victim of crime, funds not returning to Delta ─Justice Minister

*The Federal Government of Nigeria has clarified that the loot recovered from ex-Delta State Governor James Ibori will be used for Federal projects, saying it is pursuing the recovery of other looted assets amounting to over £100 million

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

As the argument over real ownership of the stolen funds by Chief James Onanefe Ibori, former Governor of Delta State of Nigeria, which Britain is set to repatriate rages between the Federal Government and Delta State, Mr. Abubakar Malami, Honourable Minister for Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), has clarified why the loot recovered from Ibori will be used for Federal projects for the good of Nigerians.

The Minister with Catriona Laing, British High Commissioner to Nigeria, earlier Tuesday, March 9 had announced the return of £4.2 million recovered from Ibori and his friends in the UK.

British Pound

The funds, according to report, slated for return to the country within two weeks, are expected to be used for the construction of the second Niger Bridge, Abuja─Kano road, and Lagos─Ibadan Expressway, and not returned to the Delta State Government from where Chief Ibori and friends stole them.

Mr. Malami, while featuring on a Channels TV programme Tuesday said: “The major consideration relating to who is entitled to a fraction, or perhaps the money in its entirety is a function of law and international diplomacy.”

The Minister contended that the law that was alleged to have been breached by Ibori was a Federal law in Nigeria, and that the parties of interests involved in the repatriation of the funds were national and not sub-national governments.

He explained that “all the processes associated with the recovery were consummated by the Federal Government and the Federal Government is, indeed, the victim of crime and not sub-national.”

On whether the British Government had insisted that the money be spent on certain projects, the AGF disclosed that it was not “a matter of insistence but a matter of negotiation between two sovereign states.”

It is recalled that Ibori was convicted by a UK court in 2012 after pleading guilty to 10 charges of fraud and money laundering.

However, the negotiations for the repatriation of his looted assets lasted for over seven years, due to what Mr. Malami described as “judicial processes” which require all appeals to be exhausted before final forfeiture is granted.

“This hampered the speedy recovery of the looted assets,” said the Minister.

According to him, the government is pursuing the recovery of other looted assets, including more Ibori assets amounting to over £100 million.

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