Ibori Blocking Repatriation Of £4.2m Confiscated From Him – Malami

The penultimate governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori was on Wednesday named as blocking the repatriation of £4.2 million confiscated from him by a British court.

The Federal Government has as such requested the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, to prevail on Ibori to withdraw the suit he instituted against the United Kingdom authorities which it was claimed is blocking the planned repatriation of the funds.

 GreenWhiteGreen GWG reports that the British authorities had earlier pledged to return the funds to the Federal Government following the confiscation of the funds after Ibori pleaded guilty to money laundering and other charges to which he was convicted by a British court.

Ibori was on Tuesday, April 17, 2012 convicted after he was charged before a Southwark Crown Court, London of stealing US$250 million of public funds. He had pleaded guilty to ten counts of money laundering and conspiracy.

Following the conviction, the UK authorities had pledged to return £4.2 million confiscated from Ibori and his associates including his wife and sister.

 GreenWhiteGreen GWG reports that the Federal Government had upon the decision that the Nigerian Government had pledged to use the expected funds for Federal Government projects across the country.

A faction of the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU led by Engr. Godwin Omene had written the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, requesting that the funds be used exclusively in Delta State.

Replying, the UPU, Malami drew attention to the fact that Ibori was stalling the repatriation of the confiscated fund through a suit he had brought against the confiscation.

The AGF’s letter with the title, “Re-Commendation for Retrieval of Delta’s Stolen Funds and request for Review of Projects to be Executed with the Retrieved Funds”, was signed by Juliet Ibekaku-Nwagwu, the Special Assistant to the President on Justice Reform and International Relations and addressed to Omene.

The letter read, “I am directed to inform (you) that the HAGF is in receipt of your letter dated 23rd March 2021 with regard to the above subject matter. The HAGF appreciates your concerns and welcomes the interest of UPU in the returned assets.

“The HAGF wishes to inform that he does not have the authority to approve projects for the application of returned assets. These decisions are taken at the Federal Executive Council after in-depth deliberations.

“The HAGF’s mandate is to implement the decisions of the council. “I am also directed to inform further that the decision of the council is also guided by bilateral negotiations between Nigeria and the country from which the asset will be returned.

“Accordingly, Nigeria and the government of the United Kingdom or any other country for that matter must agree on a specific project in a transparent and accountable manner before a project is approved.

“However, the HAGF has directed that I inform you that the stumbling block in negotiating the return of assets linked to Ibori to Nigeria is the ongoing litigation by Mr James Ibori against the government of United Kingdom in the confiscation hearing in London.

“It is advisable that you approach Mr James Ibori to advise him to withdraw his appeals against the confiscation and repatriation of the assets linked to him, his family, and associates back to Nigeria.

“This is the only way to provide an enabling environment for negotiation of the use of the identified assets for Delta State.”

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