Why Ibori Loot Is Not Returning To Delta State — AGF, Malami

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami,
explained on Tuesday why the loot recovered from former Delta State
Governor, James Ibori will be used for federal projects.

Malami had, earlier on Tuesday with the British High
Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, announced the return of
£4.2 million recovered from Mr. Ibori and his friends.

The funds, set to arrive in the country within two weeks, are
expected to be used for the construction of the second Niger
Bridge, Abuja-Kano road, and Lagos-Ibadan Express road and not
returned to the Delta State Government where it was pilfered
from.

“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,” Mr. Malami said during his Tuesday
appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

He argued that the law that was alleged to have been breached by
Ibori was a federal law and that the parties of interests involved
in the repatriation of the funds were national and not sub-national
governments.

“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,” he said.

When pressed on whether the British government had insisted that
the money be spent on certain projects, Mr. Malami said it was not
“a matter of insistence but a matter of negotiation between two
sovereign states.”

‘Judicial Processes’
Mr Ibori was convicted by a UK court in 2012 after pleading guilty
to 10 charges of fraud and money laundering.

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.

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

Mr. Malami, who also doubles as the Minister of Justice, said
the government is pursuing the recovery of other looted assets,
including more Ibori assets amounting to over £100 million.

Another component of the assets looted by a former military
dictator, Sani Abacha, is also being pursued. The Abacha component
is worth over $100 million.

What else did Malami say?
Mr Malami said the P&ID case which almost cost Nigeria a fine
of $10 billion has been “a success story.”

“Our position as a government is being strengthened
day-in-day-out,” he said. “We are optimistic.”

He said he had not been served a subpoena to appear before a
High Court over the prosecution of former pension boss,
Abdulrasheed Maina.

His appearance in the Maina case, he added, would be subject to
legal considerations and the public interest.

Mr. Malami also denied that his office was involved in the
re-opening of a case against the former Governor of Lagos State and
APC chieftain, Bola Tinubu.

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami,
explained on Tuesday why the loot recovered from former Delta State
Governor, James Ibori will be used for federal projects.

Malami had, earlier on Tuesday with the British High
Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, announced the return of
£4.2 million recovered from Mr. Ibori and his friends.

The funds, set to arrive in the country within two weeks, are
expected to be used for the construction of the second Niger
Bridge, Abuja-Kano road, and Lagos-Ibadan Express road and not
returned to the Delta State Government where it was pilfered
from.

“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,” Mr. Malami said during his Tuesday
appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

He argued that the law that was alleged to have been breached by
Ibori was a federal law and that the parties of interests involved
in the repatriation of the funds were national and not sub-national
governments.

“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,” he said.

When pressed on whether the British government had insisted that
the money be spent on certain projects, Mr. Malami said it was not
“a matter of insistence but a matter of negotiation between two
sovereign states.”

‘Judicial Processes’
Mr Ibori was convicted by a UK court in 2012 after pleading guilty
to 10 charges of fraud and money laundering.

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.

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

Mr. Malami, who also doubles as the Minister of Justice, said
the government is pursuing the recovery of other looted assets,
including more Ibori assets amounting to over £100 million.

Another component of the assets looted by a former military
dictator, Sani Abacha, is also being pursued. The Abacha component
is worth over $100 million.

What else did Malami say?
Mr Malami said the P&ID case which almost cost Nigeria a fine
of $10 billion has been “a success story.”

“Our position as a government is being strengthened
day-in-day-out,” he said. “We are optimistic.”

He said he had not been served a subpoena to appear before a
High Court over the prosecution of former pension boss,
Abdulrasheed Maina.

His appearance in the Maina case, he added, would be subject to
legal considerations and the public interest.

Mr. Malami also denied that his office was involved in the
re-opening of a case against the former Governor of Lagos State and
APC chieftain, Bola Tinubu.