Why Ibori’s Loot Will Not Return to Delta State – Malami
If you would like to know why Ibori’s loot will not return to Delta state as Malami explained, then keep reading.
The Attorney-General of the Federal Republic, Abubakar Malami, explained why the loot recovered from former Delta State Governor James Ibori would be used for major federal projects.
Malami had stated, earlier on Tuesday, March 2, while he was with the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing. The Attorney-general announced that the £4.2 million recovered from Mr. Ibori and his friends would be returned.
The funds will arrive in the country within two weeks. The funds are meant to be used for the construction of the second Niger Bridge, Abuja-Kano road. The recovered funds will also be used to construct the Lagos-Ibadan Express road. He further explained that the money would not go back to the Delta State Government.
“The major consideration relating to who is entitled to a fraction or perhaps the entire money is purely a function of law and worldwide diplomacy.”
He argued that the law that was said to have been breached by Ibori was a federal law and that the parties involved in retrieving the funds were national and not sub-national governments.
The correspondent further asked if the British government had insisted that the money be spent on specific projects; Mr. Malami stated it was not “a matter of insistence but a matter of mediation between two sovereign states.”
‘Judicial Procedure’
A UK court convicted Mr. Ibori in 2012 after pleading guilty to 10 charges of fraud and illegally acquiring funds.
But the negotiations for the repatriation of his looted assets lasted for over seven years due to what Mr. Malami described as “judicial processes,” which requires all appeals to be exhausted before final forfeiture is granted.
Mr. Malami is also the Minister of Justice. He said the government is pursuing the recovery of other looted assets, including more Ibori assets amounting to over £100 million.
Retrieving Sani Abacha’s loot worth over $100million is also another case that is still ongoing.
What Malami also said:
Mr. Malami said the P&ID case almost cost Nigeria a fine of $10 billion has been “a success story.”
“Our place as a government is being strengthened daily,” he said. “We are optimistic.”
Malami said he was not under penalty to appear before a High Court over the prosecution of former pension boss, Abdulrasheed Maina.
His appearance in the Maina case, he included, would be subject to legal considerations and the public interest.
Mr. Malami further stated that his office was not responsible for reopening the case against the former Governor of Lagos State and APC chieftain, Bola Tinubu.
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