Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami has disclosed that the £4.2 Million worth of assets seized from the associates of the former Governor of Delta state, Chief James Ibori, would soon arrive the nation’s shores.
He said the Federal Government is working tirelessly to ensure the return of looted Nigerian assets kept outside the country’s territorial boundaries.
This is even as Chief Ibori’s Kinsmen in Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area, have accused British Government of withholding £2 Million being part of the declared funds allegedly recovered from the ex-governor.
They claimed that contrary to the disclosed sum of £4.2 Million said to had been recovered from Chief Ibori, Nigeria should demand for repatriation of £6.2 million as well as interest yielded by the fund over the years since the recovered funds couldn’t have been kept idle.
Malami in a statement explained that sometimes when a country transfers funds, it may take a little bit time more than expected due to some documentations.
He said the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and other relevant government agencies will keep the general public informed once the Ibori loot are received and confirmed.
He said the Federal Government of Nigeria is in touch with the government of the United Kingdom on the matter.
“Documentations with the banks in different countries often take longer than anticipated. We anticipated two weeks but we are not in control of the banks,” the statement said.
He maintained that the Federal Government is working assiduously to make sure that the transfer goes through successfully.
“There is neither complacency nor any delay as efforts are being made to ensure successful transfer of the looted funds,” he said.
Chief Ibori’s kinsmen under the aegis of Oghara Development Union (ODU) contended that it has followed the case diligently and knows that the sum the women (Ibori’s associates) forfeited was £6.2 million and not £4.2 million.
It said Nigeria should oppose UK’s hypocrisy and insist that the entire sum be returned to Nigeria, or UK would have been engaged in witch-hunting Ibori for profit, by withholding Two Million Pounds Sterling.
“Nigeria should also demand for the interest on the £6.2 million since 2012 because the money would not have sat idly in the bank without attracting interest”, the further asserted.
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