Delta Government confirms TNG Exclusive report, says £4.2m Ibori loot not yet in state coffers

The Delta State Government on Wednesday confirmed that the recently repatriated £4.2m allegedly looted by former Governor James Ibori from the United Kingdom was yet to be remitted to the state coffers by the Federal Government as earlier exclusively reported by TheNewsGuru.com, TNG.

Top officials of the Governor Okowa-led Delta State Government told TNG that the funds were yet to be released as claimed by the Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Ahmed Idris on Tuesday.

TNG reports that Idris had on Tuesday said the funds had been transferred to the Delta State Government when he appeared before the House of Representatives’ Ad hoc Committee on Assessment and Status of All Recovered Loots Movable and Immovable Assets from 2002 to 2020 by Agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria for Effective Efficient Management and Utilisation.

The Accountant-General told the Committee such funds looted from the treasury of a state are always returned to the state when repatriated.

The Accountant-General told the Committee such funds looted from the treasury of a state are always returned to the state when repatriated.

“It was paid to Delta State,” he said when asked where the money was diverted to. “So such recoveries go specifically to those states. Honourable Chairman, any recovery arising from the looted funds from a particular state goes to the state. The state governors will not even allow this to fly.”

However, the Delta State Government through Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa while addressing newsmen on Wednesday said the funds were yet to be transferred to the state coffers but expressed optimism that it will be returned soon.

“We appreciate the efforts of the Federal Government to return the recovered loot to Delta State where it rightly belongs. But the truth is that the money has not hit the Delta State government’s account.

“We saw it yesterday like every other Nigerian when the Accountant General of the Federation Ahmed Idris while appearing before the House of Reps committee on recovered loot made that statement and there was this avalanche of enquires to know whether that money has come to us and the truth is that the money has not come.”

“We are happy that they have shown willingness to return the money and we know that very soon, the money will come,” Ifejika said while addressing newsmen at the Government House in Asaba, the state capital.”

He assured that the Delta State government will ensure that the funds are judiciously utilised to improve infrastructure across the state, once received.