The British and Nigerian civil society groups have asked the British government to return the loots confiscated from James Ibori, a Nigerian politician and convicted fraudster, back to his country in a swift and transparent way so the money could benefit ordinary Nigerians.
The coalition of up to 50 NGOs had sent a letter to Britain’s home and foreign affairs ministers, remarking that the long-delayed confiscation process had sabotaged the strong anti-corruption message sent by Ibori’s conviction more than a decade ago.
This letter had been made public on Thursday, September 28, by one of its signatories; Spotlight on Corruption.
Ibori, the ex-governor of oil-producing Delta State in southern Nigeria, had pleaded guilty to a London court in 2012 to 10 counts of fraud and money-laundering and was sentenced to 13-years imprisonment, of which he served half if it before going home.
Ibori’s incarceration has not affected his influence in Nigeria as he has had meetings with President Bola Tinubu in recent months and is also friends and associates with individuals in powerful positions.
The attempts by British lawmakers to confiscate Ibori’s assets started in 2013 but it has run into repeated obstacles and delays in the London courts.
In July, a judge ordered for the confiscation of 101.5 million pounds, (apprx. $123.9 million) from him, one of the biggest directives to have come from the law court under Britain’s Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 since it came into force.
Ibori has meanwhile, applied for leave to petition against the order however, the application is at the early stages of the appeal process.
