The Federal Government has commenced the process of extraditing the former
governor of Delta State, James Ibori, from the United Kingdom
On April 17, 2012, Ibori was sentence to 13 years in prison after pleaded guilty to 10 counts of money laundering and stealing $250m from the Delta State treasury
He was, however, released on Wednesday
According to the BBC, the UK Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, did not intend to deport Ibori to Nigeria until he handed over £18m of the “proceeds of crime” he alleged the ex-governor held
The convicted former governor, was, however, allowed to go home on the condition that he would not travel out of the UK
He is currently residing at his residence on Abbey Road, London, where he is under strict surveillance from where he will report to the UK Police weekly
Meanwhile the Attorney General
of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami,
had directed the EFCC to forward the file containing the 170 charges
earlier brought against Ibori in Nigeria
A source in the EFCC said, “We have started the process of extradition in conjunction with the Office of the AGF. We had started extradition process years ago but stopped it since he was in prison. We have now reactivated the process. It is the AGF that will communicate with the British Government, which will then extradite Ibori to Nigeria. The court process will be sent to the UK Government for extradition.”
When asked why all Ibori’s London properties had not yet been forfeited to the Federal Government despite the ample time, the EFCC source explained that the British system was such that asset recovery was done post-conviction.
He added, “So, they are just starting the process and that is why he has been asked not to leave the UK but should be reporting every week.
“The British Government wanted him to remain in custody but the court said he could keep coming from home; so, he will remain in the UK for now. If he does not show up in the police station, then it will be assumed that he has absconded.”
Speaking with one of our correspondents on Thursday, the spokesman for the British High Commission in Nigeria, Mr. Joe Abuku, said the UK government would continue to assist Nigeria with the recovery of properties.
FG Begins Process To Extradite James Ibori After Gaining Freedom
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