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Tag: Ibori

  • IBORI: Bank documentation shouldn’t take 12 years– Oghara Union tells AGF, British Govt

    IBORI: Bank documentation shouldn’t take 12 years– Oghara Union tells AGF, British Govt

    The Oghara Development Union (ODU), Lagos branch has asked the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to tell Nigerians the truth about the delay in repatriating the proceeds of assets confiscated from the three ladies in the Ibori trials.

     

    In a press statement released on Tuesday 4 May, 2021, the union said: “the Attorney-General’s claim of bank documentation is scandalous and far from reality. The Attorney General had said that “Documentations with the banks in different countries (caused the delay and often) take longer than anticipated. We anticipated two weeks but we are not in control of the banks

     

    “This is laughable. It is also noteworthy that the Minister gave no idea of when the monies would be returned to Nigeria and Delta state. The British Authorities are obviously up to some game here”.

     

    The statement signed by Sunday Agbofodoh, General Secretary, continued: “We say this because we know for a fact that the monies in question have been in the custody of the British Government since 2010, a clear eleven years plus ago. Also, it is instructive that Nigeria and Britain had long ago signed an MOU on the repatriation of the proceeds. Both parties have continuously celebrated this victory in the press.

     

    The ODU said: “We know for a fact that our beloved son, Chief James Onanefe Ibori is a victim of political persecution concealed as an anti-corruption fight, and we are happy that Nigerians are now knowing the truth of the wicked lies that deluged, swamped and overwhelmed him. He has served out his prison sentence and since returned to Nigeria and his native Oghara community. We are however concerned that facts are still being twisted for propaganda purposes only to keep the issue in the media in perpetuity”.

     

    The Union said that the people of Oghara want a fast resolution of the civil confiscation and repatriation process. Thus, it decried this delay tactics on the part of the British Government. They further stated that “it is incomprehensible that in this day and age, it would take years for banks in two different countries to wire funds from one to the other”.

     

    The ODU added that neither the Attorney-General nor Britain has addressed the question of the shortfall between the real amounts confiscated and what Britain said it would return to Nigeria. “We are in full knowledge of the actual confiscated amount from the three women and it is £6, 838, 851.68. Of this amount, £629, 417.63 came from the sale of the property belonging to Ibori’s sister, while £2, 649, 959.45 and £3, 559, 474. 60 came from the other two ladies. The amount is not the £4.2 million as Britain and Malami claimed, and it was fully paid in 2010”. Thus, the ODU expressed surprise at the statement issued by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation that the money had not been returned to Nigeria, and may not be returned anytime soon.

     

    The Attorney General, Abubakar Malami, said in a statement on Monday May 3rd, a public holiday, signed by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Umar Gwandu, that bank documentation has delayed the transfer of the £4.2 million.

     

    The ODU tasked Nigerians to find out why Britain wants to return £4.2m only instead of £6,838,851.68 (£6.8m) and to ask for full disclosure on the sort of bank documentation that would require years to finish. The Union added that Nigerians should ask for the interest that accrued on the money since 2010. “it is only when such answers are in that it would be clear that the UK Authorities are warehousing proceed of crime for political profit”, ODU said.

     

     

  • Omo-Agege, Ibori mourn ex-Delta acting governor, Sam Obi

    Omo-Agege, Ibori mourn ex-Delta acting governor, Sam Obi

    The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori have reacted to the passing of a former acting governor, Prince Sam Obi.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly died on Saturday morning.

    In a condolence message personally signed by him, Senator Omo-Agege said: “I am profoundly shocked by the sudden death of Prince Sam Obi, former Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly and former Acting Governor of Delta State, a man who possessed one of the highest qualities of professional integrity throughout the course of his legislative career”.

    According to the Deputy President of the Senate, “Prince Sam Obi was a very dedicated, hardworking and committed friend and legislator for whom I have the deepest respect and admiration.”

    The Delta Central Senator said that “the passion with which Prince Sam Obi did his job accounted for his political success in life, making it possible for him to attain the pinnacle of excellence in his political career as Speaker of the State’s Assembly and later as Acting Governor of Delta State”.

    He described the late former Speaker and former Acting Governor as ”a man of very solid character, extra-ordinary administrator and a politician par excellence, who stood firmly for what he believed in.”

    In a similar reaction, ex-governor of Delta State Chief James Ibori described the passing of Prince Sam Obi as a big loss to Delta State.

    He said that the late Prince Obi gave remarkable services to the state state when events thrust the governance of the state on his shoulders. That was when Prince Sam Obi, as the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, became the Acting-Governor in 2010 when the Appeal Court, Benin, nullified the election of former Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, and ordered a re-run.
    In those intervening months, Obi proved himself worthy of the office by keeping the state stable before and during the the prescribed election.
    Within that time too, he showed himself a worthy leader of the Peoples Democratic Party family in Delta state as the PDP swept the polls convincingly.
    Ibori said that Prince Obi, who passed away in his sleep, Saturday morning in Asaba, distinguished himself in any task that he faced, in and out of politics.
    Ibori said that Obi, from Ute-Okpu, who represented Ika North-East constituency at the House two consecutive times, till 2015 when he did not seek re-election, was a man of many parts.
    Thus, he became a noteworthy founder and Pastor of the Oracle of God Ministries, church.
    Ibori consoled the family Prince Obi has left behind, his Ute-Okpu home town, the Governor of Delta state, His Excellency, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa, and the good people of Delta state. He prayed that God may grant them the fortitude to bear this great loss and give eternal rest to Prince Obi’s soul.
  • Ibori, Okowa, Obasanjo, Ribadu, Atiku, UK; Politricks As Empire Strikes Back (1), By Tony Eluemnor

    Ibori, Okowa, Obasanjo, Ribadu, Atiku, UK; Politricks As Empire Strikes Back (1), By Tony Eluemnor

    By Tony Eluemnor

    Question: How serious is Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight?

    Answer: That depends on the accused, the accuser and the amount of prejudice (bias, preconception, prejudgment, predisposition, partiality) and the “politricks” involved.

    Item 1: Bureau of Public Enterprise (under Nasir el-Rufai) chose the management-contract option to improve NITEL before privatisation and advertised for OPERATORS ONLY, not CONSULTANTS and CONSORTIUMS. Yet, a consultancy, Pentascope International B.V Private Ltd of Belgium, emerged first, ahead of BNSL/TCIL of India, A CORE OPERATOR. BNSL/TCIL charged US$35 million over three years for its services, Pentascope charged US$45 million …and won.

    On January 16, 2003, NITEL Board kicked against the deal and only signed the contract after the weight of Obasanjo’s administration was invoked against it. So, BPE, under el-Rufai, had its way.

    A report had informed BPE and the government that Pentascope was a small consulting firm with a share capital of €5,000 (five thousand Euros) and an unsubstantiated annual turnover of €25,000 (twenty-five thousand Euros), and it was coming to manage an outfit worth over a $1bn. Most of all, while Pentascope claimed a turnover of €25, 000, the company that came second in the bidding had a verifiable year 2000 turnover of US$2.560bn

    Nigeria’s loss: NITEL’s N15 billion profit in 2002 turned into a loss of N19 billion in 2003, turnover dipped from N53 billion to N41 billion. Yet, Direct Costs and Overhead Costs increased from N21.3 billion to N26.3 and from N19.4 to N30 billion. NITEL collapsed. Nobody was punished for that misadventure and the man who headed BPE went on to become a Minister and state Governor later. The EFCC under Nuhu Ribadu, never looked into BPE and the self-decorated anti-corruption crusader, Obasanjo, hardly asked any questions. And so too our journalists. Did some Nigerians float Pentascope, registered it on New Year day (a public holiday everywhere) just to defraud Nigeria? We will never know.

    Item 2: 3pm Wednesday 29 March 2006, a top-secret business was at last nearing conclusion; and €107,500,000.00 (One hundred and seven million, five hundred thousand Euros only) was wired out of Nigeria from a bank in Abuja Central District; half of the total payment.

    The contract demanded of an Israeli company to “design, develop, manufacture, install and prepare for operation three Aerostar Unmanned Aerial Vehicle intelligence systems (drones) and three Seastar systems for aerial and marine use”.

    At the prevailing exchange rate, the €215m contract sum equaled $US260m. Israel’s Haaretz newspaper said: “As for the Aeronautics Ventures deal, experts estimate that, according to the value of the equipment, and even if Aeronautics profits from the deal reach 100 percent, the scope of the deal will not exceed $150 million”.

    And that was when Nuhu Ribadu was EFCC Chairman. He was too busy chasing Obasanjo’s perceived enemies. And when Obasanjo’s National Security Adviser, Lt. Gen. Aliyu Gusau (rtd) denied knowledge of it, Obasanjo dropped him. When I reported the contract scandal in the Daily Independent, I was arrested.

    Item 3; Obasanjo attempted to tar and destroy former Vice-President Atiku Abubaka using the hallucinated Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) sins. Obasanjo sent the EFCC’s stupid report on Atiku, to the Senate, after the Administrative Panel of Inquiry he had set up had used it to ban Atiku from contesting elections. A court threw out the Panel’s decisions. The Senate Committee heard from Atiku that the PTDF funds was used to pay a lawyer that owns a higher institution N250 million in September 2006 for registering a company (Galaxy Backbone) with the Corporate Affairs Commission; paid up share capital – N1b (so it should not attract more than N23m CAC fee) .

    On 10 May, 2006, during the Third Term scheme, PTDF requested for N20b for its projects and got approval the same day, plus for N10b immediate release. By 2005 December PTDF outfit had N20b and $150m in fixed deposits, N533m and $6.3m in current accounts. Five months later only N12.9 remained of the N20b. The dollar account dwindled too. PTDF Management spent N60m to renovate its head office, N36m on a lift for the two story building. Even Aso Rock’s Media Office under the late Mrs. Remi Oyo got N100m for progress reports and photograph productions for the Villa Library. A bazar was on.

    Item 4; President Obasanjo himself doubled as Petroleum Minister. Yet, did Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s records become transparent from May 1999? The Department of Petroleum Resources record showed that between Jan. and Sept. 2000 NNPC was statutorily allocated 82,200,000 barrels of oil but NNPC told the House of Representatives that it only got 80, 848, 507 barrels; a discrepancy of 1,351,493 barrels. The House of Reps took the matter seriously and queried the NNPC; here is tip of the iceberg: “1; The value of the 53,076, 173 barrel of crude oil purchased by NNPC from FG for domestic processing, January to June 2000, at US $9.50 per barrel amounted to US $504,644 which converts to N42.86 billion. But NNPC claimed it totaled N42.19b. The exchange rate was N85/US$ then. Discrepancy; N670m” in just eight months.

    To be fair to Obasanjo, his administration issued new guidelines for lifting Nigerian Crude Oil and other activities in July 1999. But over a year later, those guidelines were still being ignored. According to a House of Reps Ad-Hoc Committee report, “NNPC is known to be the only supplier in the world offering generous payment options known as advance payment and prompt options. By this practice, buyers are free to choose their buying price and this gives room for manipulations by the key buyers. The ramifications extend to the New York mercantile exchange and even legal suits. In a typical month, Nigeria losses approximately $300m”. Perhaps, this explains why our refineries are inoperative; to keep open a swindlers’ paradise.

    How did NNPC choose companies that would import petrol and other things? NNPC told Dr. Christopher Kolade’s Panel on Review of Contracts that it was unaware of the existence of the Federal Ministry of Finance’s Operational Guidelines on tender’s board procedure and powers of spending in the Public Service; as well as guidelines on administrative procedures. Thus, the corporation never observed any of such. Now please note this: according to NNPC’s figures, it imported 1,933,929.88 quantity of refined petrol (no indication if it was calculated in barrels or litres) costing $452, 566,158.00 between May and December of 1999, but six months later between Jan 2000 and June, it had imported 3,357, 438.93, costing $1, 912,242,771.39 – an increase of 7346%. Why such a drastic increase? Did the number of motor vehicles increase so dramatically?

    A Reps Committee report said: “Since no organ of government seems to keep record of what NNPC exports or imports, it is near impossible to verify NNPC’s figures as it concerns revenue accruable from sales of unutilized/export crude. It is equally difficult to ascertain allocation of such revenue for the same reason. For example, the DPR claims that the PPMC has consistently failed to obtain permits to import petroleum products, and when imported, no returns are made to DPR despite persistent reminders on the same – irrespective of laws/regulations governing the petroleum products imports into the country”. And Nigeria was in a democracy!

    Item 5; Late President Umaru Yar’Adua received, 25 May 2009, “Halliburton Bribe Scandal Allegedly Involving High Government Officials” interim report. Soon after, his illness worsened and he died in office. Case closed! Was an ailing Yar’Adua poisoned, hastened to his grave, because of that case?

    The bribery scandal’s timeline extended from 1995 to 2004/5, when Gen. Sani Abacha, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and Obasanjo led the country. $178,575,675 in bribes (the highest ever in Nigeria) was paid out to highly-placed Nigerians for a Liquefied Natural Gas contract given to TSKJ Consortium for $1.8bn instead of BCSA whose bid was $100m more than TSKJ’s. So Nigeria lost $100m there. TSKJ won additional contracts for construction of subsequent trains, up to train 6 in 2004 for $6bn. Yes, in 2004. Till today, no Nigerian has been punished. On March 27, 2013, under President Goodluck Jonathan, the case was finally buried: six small fries were prosecuted for being conduits for the big fishes. Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar of Abuja High Court, said the PROSECUTION HAD FAILED TO DILIGENTLY PROSECUTE THE CASE.

    Now, hear Nuhu Ribadu’s excuse why he didn’t catch the bribe takers: “I put in a request letter but after a year of trying to get French authorities to help us, the investigation magistrate told me that they could not get anyone to translate my letter from English to French. I knew it was a hopeless case. But Nigeria has an Embassy in Paris that could have translated the letter or written a fresh letter in French for Ribadu. That Ribadu didn’t know that, shows the stuff he is made of. Or, was translating the letter just a lame excuse from someone whose heart and soul weren’t in the quest? No matter, Britain crowned him an anti-corruption crusader, Azu Ishiekwene, Segun Adeniyi and other journalists applauded.

    Now the question: If Obasanjo, Ribadu, and supposedly crusading Nigerian journalists have been terribly opposed to corruption, why was the Halliburton scandal as well as 99.9% of corruption cases, never investigated? Why did the kind of noise over the mere signing of an MOU between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, for the return of £4.2 million pounds to Nigeria, money seized from three female associates of Chief James Onanefe Ibori, never arose over the items listed above? Some, began to demonise Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa administration in Delta state, manufacturing reasons why the £4.2m should not revert to Delta, forgetting that Nigeria is a Federation. Politricks had crept in.

    Answer: When the Obedient Servants of the British Empire were failing to stop Ibori, in stepped the UK to keep the Nigerian part of its empire in check. The Niger Delta region was getting restless, Chief James Onanefe Ibori was giving the “natives” ideas. His resource control agitation, sensitisation and mobilisation was a threat to UK’s interests. Two other South-South Governors had joined him; so he was getting “dangerous”. Then the Empire Struck Back; Ibori had to be decoupled from politics and leadership … like King Jaja of Opobo, Patrice Lumumba, Kwame Nkrumah and other Africanists who attempted to THINK INDEPENDENTLY. The UK used DFID immensely. It sponsored Respect Nigeria, Save Nigeria and other groups either through EFCC or directly in London, groups that died once Ibori was jailed. It financed saharamalreporters through stupid awards through third parties. Now, Ibori’s case is over and the online publication is struggling for breath. A death sentence was passed on Ibori – to be arrested DEAD OR ALIVE – April 22, 2010. Ibori should thank God that he is alive today. Jonathan, the Obedient Servant of the Empire who issued it was kicked out shabbily. He has finished his service and the Nigerian outpost is safe again for the Empire.

    Tony Eluemunor, an Abuja-based journalist, is an authority on the Presidency.

  • Niger Delta group sues FG over claims on £4.2m Ibori funds

    Niger Delta group sues FG over claims on £4.2m Ibori funds

    A group, Niger Delta Democratic Union, (NDDU), has approached the Federal High Court, Asaba challenging the federal government decision to declare itself sole owner of £4.2million seized from associates of ex- Governor James Ibori by the British Government.

    Facilitator of the group, Dr Akpo Mudiaga Odje, in a statement, described the decision of the Federal Government to spend the money as an act of financial terrorism and gluttony.

    Part of the statement read, “We have watched with paralyzing suspicion, the galaxy of controversies and cocktails of cacophony trailing the returned loot.

    “We are however appalled by the Federal Government’s unilateral decision to sequestrate and/or declare sole ownership over the said £4.2million by deciding how same is to be put into use and which said usage is regrettably for developing areas outside Delta State, which is actually the real owner of these returned funds.

    “Indeed, to us and the tendencies we represent, this is an act of financial terrorism and fiscal gluttony to say the least. The people of Delta State lucidly possess the undisputable allodial title over these funds, and as such, should be the exclusive beneficiaries of same.

    “In that spirit of proclivity for justice and in concord with even the scanty fiscal federal implants in the 1999 Constitution, we have through the labyrinth and groundswell of unanimity decided to challenge the centrifugal pasturing of the Federal Government on this vexed issue, as adumbrated by the Attorney General of the Federation .

    “Accordingly ,an action has been filed at the Federal High Court, Asaba to challenge this unprovoked onslaught and unrestrained belligerence against our Constitution and the People of Delta State.”

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami had last week with the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, announced the return of £4.2 million recovered from Ibori and his friends.

  • How FG frustrated Ibori’s trial in UK – Falana

    How FG frustrated Ibori’s trial in UK – Falana

    Popular human rights lawyer and activist, Femi Falana (SAN) on Sunday said the Federal Government earlier frustrated the trial of former Governor, James Ibori, in the United Kingdom.

    The rights advocate alleged that the Nigerian Government through its Attorney-General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaa, challenged the investigation of Ibori in the United Kingdom in 2009.

    According to Falana’s statement titled ‘How FG Frustrated Ibori’s Trial in the UK’, the senior legal practitioner said a government that challenged the former governor’s investigation should not readily claim ownership of the funds recovered.

    Falana in his communique noted that Aondoakaa had said the UK’s decision to probe Ibori was an insult to Nigeria’s sovereignty.

    The SAN further wondered why President Muhammadu Buhari has continued to use General Sani Abacha’s loot to implement projects even though he (Buhari) has consistently said that the former Head of State never stole from the nation’s coffers.

    The rights advocate went on to argue that the Delta State Government could not be denied the billions recovered from its former Governor, James Ibori, just because the state government once said Ibori never stole.

    Below is the full communique as published by Mr Femi Falana, the Interim Chair, Alliance on Surviving Covid 19 and Beyond (ASCAB).

    In opposing my position on the legitimate right of the people of Delta State to the sun of £4.2 million confiscated and recovered from the Ibori loot some colleagues have argued that the fund should be forfeited to the Federal Government on the ground that the Uduagban regime had said that no money was missing from the coffers of the State Government. No doubt, the former Delta State Government had denied any loss of money during the proceedings of the Federal High Court for the confiscation of the $15 million bribe given to Mr. Nuhu Ribadu by Chief James Ibori. Hence, the presiding judge, Kolawole J. (now JCA) directed that the fund be paid into the Federation Account for distribution in line with the provisions of the Revenue Allocation Act. But the Delta State Government never said that the over £100 million confiscated from Chief Ibori in the London trial did not belong to the people of Delta State.

    However, it is on record that the Federal Government openly opposed the trial of Chief Ibori in the United Kingdom. In fact, in utter breach of the provisions of the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty between Nigeria and the United Kingdom the then Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Michael Aondoakaa SAN rejected the request to make relevant documents available for the trial in the United Kingdom on the ground of sovereignty. In particular, Chief Aondoakaar refused to entertain the request of the UK Metropolitan Police and made under bilateral mutual assistance to Nigeria on the ground that the request was not made by the Home Office.

    The request was to question Chief Ibori about his involvement in corruption and money laundering that occurred in the United Kingdom. Aondoakaa said: “I think Nigeria, as a sovereign nation, deserves some respect. They [the Metropolitan Police] knew they were wrong, otherwise why did they now write through the Home Office requesting mutual assistance to quiz a prominent Nigerian. … I cannot compromise the sovereignty of this country, if they make incompetent requests I will turn them down 20 times. Any request from Metropolitan Police would be refused by this office, period.” [See Kolawole Olaniyan, Corruption and Human Rights Law in Africa, Oxford: Hart, 2014, p 15]. Dr. Olaniyan criticised the use of “Sovereignty, technicalities, and ‘small details’” as justifications for refusing requests for mutual cooperation and assistance in cases of corruption involving high-ranking state officials.

    Similarly, African representatives who participated in the negotiation of the UNCAC insisted that any reference to protection of sovereignty should not be interpreted in a way that would undermine the efforts of countries seeking to recover illicit assets. Article 51 of UNCAC on asset-recovery explicitly states that the return of stolen assets is “a fundamental principle of the Convention.” The effectiveness of the asset recovery provisions of UNCAC depends to a large extent on the measures for mutual legal assistance. Thus, states are required to establish a legal framework to enable them to provide assistance to other states in the recovery of assets acquired through corrupt practices recognised under the convention. To ensure effective international cooperation in the fight against corruption and money laundering, the UNCAC in article 60 requires states “to consider” various potential methods to provide technical assistance to each other in their plans and programs to prevent and combat corruption.

    As far as international law is concerned the recovered fund belongs to the people of Delta State who are the victims of the corrupt practice of Chief Ibori. Having ratified the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) both Nigeria and the United Kingdom are bound by Article 35 thereof which states that:”Each State Party shall take such measures as may be necessary, in accordance with principles of its domestic law, to ensure that entities or persons who have suffered damage as a result of an act of corruption have the right to initiate legal proceedings against those responsible for that damage in order to obtain compensation.”

    The British Government is releasing the stolen money to Nigeria in strict compliance with international law and not out sheer generosity as erroneously argued by some lawyers. According to the travaux préparatoires to the UNCAC, “this article is intended to establish the principle that States Parties should ensure that they have mechanisms permitting persons or entities suffering damage to initiate legal proceedings, in appropriate circumstances, against those who commit acts of corruption.” Notably, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan aptly captured the growing international community’s concern with corruption and its negative impact on human rights during the 2003 adoption by the General Assembly of UNCAC when he said: “Corruption is an insidious plague that has a wide range of corrosive effects on societies. Corruption hurts the poor disproportionately by diverting funds intended for development, undermining a Government’s ability to provide basic services.”

    From the foregoing, it is undoubtedly clear that the huge success recorded in the prosecution of the case was anchored on the collaboration between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Metropolitan Police. To that extent, the Federal Government which had set out to frustrate the trial of Chief Ibori cannot turn round to lay claim to the fund confiscated on the orders of the British courts. Having regards to the facts and circumstances of the case the the Ibori loot belongs to the people of Delta State in toto under domestic and international law. After all, the Federal Government had handed over the fund stolen by two former governors, in similar circumstances, to the people of Bayelsa and Plateau States.

    It is common knowledge that Nigeria through the EFCC has consistently returned huge sums of money recovered from local criminal elements convicted by Nigerian courts for swindling foreigners including European and Americans. Sometime in November 2005, the EFCC returned US $17 million to a Brazilian bank – the first instalment of $242 million siphoned by a group of Nigerian scammers to William Richey, a lawyer representing the defunct Banco Noroeste of Sao Paolo, Brazil. On that occasion, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu said that “By making this restitution to the victim of the scam we also want to send a strong, unequivocal message that we will no longer harbour such fraudulently acquired funds no matter where the victim is.” The return of the huge fund was based on the orders of forfeiture made by Olubunmi Oyewole J. (now JCA). But out of sheer colonial mentality, some lawyers are asking the Nigerian people to clap for the British Government for returning £4.2 million out of Ibori loot of over £100 million warehoused illegally in the United Kingdom in defiance of the money laundering laws of that country. It is interesting to note that many Nigerian lawyers are not aware that banks and other financial institutions in the United Kingdom have recently been ordered to pay hundreds of millions of dollars as damages for aiding and abetting corrupt public officials and drug barons who live in foreign countries.

    Finally, no doubt, the former Delta State Government was irresponsible to have denied that Chief Ibori looted the treasury of the State at the material time. But such denial cannot be a justification for the confiscation of the Ibori loot of over £100 million that is expected to be repatriated to Nigeria by the British Government. After all, before his assumption of office as President in May 2015, General Mohammadu Buhari had repeatedly maintained that the late General Sani Abacha did not steal a dime from the account of the Federal Government. But the Federal Government under the President’s watch has continued to recover the remaining Abacha loot and no one has suggested that such recovered loot be paid to the account of the United Nations or African Union on moral grounds.

    Femi Falana SAN,
    Interim Chair,
    Alliance on Surviving Covid 19 and Beyond (ASCAB)

  • As outrage escalates, Malami insists, states why Delta State will not receive forfeited Ibori funds from UK

    As outrage escalates, Malami insists, states why Delta State will not receive forfeited Ibori funds from UK

    As outrage continues to escalate over the announcement by the federal government that the monies confiscated from former Delta state Governor, James Ibori, being returned by the British government will be used for federal projects not related to Delta state, Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has explained 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 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,” Malami said on a monitored Channels Television programme.

    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.”

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the former Delta governor 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 the minister 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.

    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.

  • Ibori Mourns Prince Tony Momoh

    Ibori Mourns Prince Tony Momoh

    Former Delta State Governor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori has mourned Nigeria’s former Minister of Information, Prince Tony Momoh who died on Monday (today) evening.

    Ibori said with the passing of Prince Tony Momoh on Monday 1 February 2021, aged 80, Nigeria has lost a remarkable elder statesman – a renowned journalist, the first Chairman, Board of Directors of the Independent Newspapers Ltd (INL), an eminent public servant, a totally detrabilised Nigerian, and a pillar of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who nevertheless, had a rewarding relationship with members of the other political parties.

    Chief Ibori said: “Though Prince Tony Momoh and I were never in the same party all through, he was civilized enough to respect the boundaries of friendship”.

    Ibori recalled that he and the late Prince Momoh, who was Nigeria’s Information Minister from 1986 to 1990, had a rewarding friendship that lasted for decades. This bond became stronger when Prince Momoh graciously served as the first Chairman, Board of Directors of the Independent Newspapers Ltd (INL). He said that in that capacity, Tony Momoh’s professionalism was on display as he reached into the great depths of his experience and journalism prowess to help give birth to an exciting newspaper stable which introduced many novel features into Nigerian journalism.

    Chief Ibori condoled Tony Momoh’s family and the Momoh Royal Dynasty of Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, for this pronounced loss and prayed that God will give them the fortitude to bear this loss and grant Momoh’s gentle soul eternal rest.
  • Ibori Condoles Gov Okowa Over Father’s passing

    Ibori Condoles Gov Okowa Over Father’s passing

    Chief James Onanefe Ibori has condoled the Delta state Governor, His Excellency, Sen Ifeanyi Okowa, for the passing of his father, Sir Arthur Okowa, aged 89, on Thursday January 28 morning,
    In a statement signed by his Media Assistant, Tony Eluemunor, Chief Ibori poured encomiums on the late Sir Okowa whom he described as a political sage.
    Ibori said that the late Sir Arthur Okowa was also like a father to him, and provided political support and advice all through his tenure as Governor. I have known Sir Okowa for decades. He was one of the founding pillars of my political journey and government. I benefited greatly from his profound wisdom. He was an astute political strategist and tactician. We will miss him sorely. His memory will ever remain strong in my heart.
    Condoling the members of the family Sir Okowa left behind, Ibori advised them, especially Gov. Okowa, to take solace in the fact that Papa Okowa lived to a ripe old age and led a purposeful and eventful life. He prayed to God to grant Sir Okowa eternal rest and to send solace into the hearts of all those Papa Okowa left behind.
  • Sam Nda-Isaiah had strong convictions – Ibori

    Sam Nda-Isaiah had strong convictions – Ibori

    Chief James Onanefe Ibori has described the late Sam Nda-Isaiah, who died Friday night, as a man with strong convictions and who expressed them passionately.

    In a press statement signed by Ibori’s Media Assistant, Tony Eluemunor, Ibori said that Nigeria will remember Nda-Isaiah as a man of many parts. He was not just a Leadership newspaper publisher but an influential columnist who maintained a weekly newspaper column for decades. Nda-Isaiah the businessman and writer was also a politician who grew to the stature of contesting seriously for the presidential ticket at the national primaries of the All Progressives Congress.

    According to Ibori, “because of Sam Nda-Isaiah’s background as journalist and politician, added to his inclination to audaciously speak his mind on political issues, his paths and mine often crossed, especially during the administration of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and the controversies of that period.

    On one occasion, I had a reason to reply to one of his articles – and he honoured my right of reply and published it in the space meant for his column. That was commendable. Beyond that, he was courageous enough to say openly, years later, that he was misled on certain things he wrote about me, and that he was sorry. It takes personal courage and a large heart to do such, but then, anyone who knew Nda-Isaiah would have also known that he was courageous and that he had a large heart.

    Ibori sends his condolences to Nda-Isaiah’s family and the Leadership newspapers and prays that God will give them the grace to keep his dreams alive. “That is the greatest tribute they can pay to that worthy Nigerian” he added.

  • Contract list indicting Ibori, Kalu, Uduaghan, others not compiled by Akpabio – NDDC

    Contract list indicting Ibori, Kalu, Uduaghan, others not compiled by Akpabio – NDDC

    The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on Tuesday said the controversial list of former governors and lawmakers submitted by the Minister of Niger Delta Senator Godswill Akpabio to the House of Representatives last week as beneficiaries of the commission’s contract largess was not compiled by the minister but a past management of the commission.

    The commission however enjoined those whose names appeared on the list before the House not to panic because it had found that their some people used their names to get the jobs.

    Prominent among those whose names are in the list compiled in 2018 are former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia), James Ibori (Delta}, Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) and Senator Peter Nwaoboshi. But they have all denied ever enjoying such favours from the commission.

    The NDDC which in a statement on Tuesday, said the 2018 list was part of the avalanche of documents submitted to its forensic auditors, added that there were other sets of lists of emergency project contracts awarded in 2017 and 2019 not submitted to the National Assembly.

    It explained that the 2018 list was released to the House to expose committee chairmen in the National Assembly who used fronts to collect contracts from the commission, some of which were never executed.

    “The IMC of the commission stands by the list, which came from files already in the possession of the forensic auditors. It is not an Akpabio list but the NDDC’s list. The list is part of the volume of 8,000 documents already handed over to the forensic auditors,” the NDDC said in the statement by its Director, Corporate Affairs, Charles Odili.

    Odili added that the list did not include a case of 250 contracts, which were signed for and collected in one day by one person for members of the National Assembly.

    According to him, the ongoing forensic audit would unearth persons behind the contracts.

    He said that the commission had positioned 185 media support specialists to identify the site of every project captured in its books for verification by the forensic auditors.

    Odili advised members of the public to discountenance the “avalanche of falsehood being orchestrated by mischief makers,” regretting that “more insinuations and accusations may be thrown into the public space by those opposed to the IMC.”