Delta govt reacts as FG confirms receipt of £4.2m Ibori loot

 Delta govt reacts as FG confirms receipt of £4.2m Ibori loot

By Modupe Shodeinde

Nigeria has received the £4.2 million that the British Government recovered from family members and associates of former Delta Governor, James Ibori.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who made the confirmation, said the money had been credited into a designated Federal Government account via naira since May 10.

Recall that the Minister had signed Memorandum of Understanding for the repatriation of the Ibori loot on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria with the UK.

The development, according to Malami, was a demonstration of the recognition of the reputation Nigeria earned through records of management of recovered Nigeria’s stolen funds in the execution of public oriented projects.

The Delta State Government in reaction, has said it will keep engaging the Federal Government through dialogue for sharing of the recovered loot.

The immediate past Commissioner for information, Charles Aniagwu, said the Federal Government, being a good father, would be just in dealing with the issue.

He said the central government had shown a lot of “good faith and maturity by listening to questions we raised over the looted funds and the state would be accommodated in due course.”

There has been serious argument over whether the money should be returned to the Delta State Government.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, had maintained that the money is returned to the state where it was allegedly misappropriated.

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But the Federal Government argued that the fund is deployed for better infrastructure, including the Second Niger Bridge, Lagos–Ibadan and Abuja–Kano expressways.

Also, the House of Representatives member representing Ughelli and Udu Federal Constituency of Delta State, Francis Waive, has insisted that the money should be returned to the coffers of the state government.

He identified with the position of the Delta caucus, led by the Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu

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