UK to Return Ibori’s Loot

According to the UK Metropolitan Police, the £6.8m that was seized from ex-Governor of Delta State, James Ibori, will soon be returned to the Nigerian government.

The development was disseminated in London on Tuesday, 4 November, by the Metropolitan Police Senior Investigator, Mr. Rupert Broad.

Before now, £1.2 million had been returned to Nigeria out of the initial £8 million seized from Ibori.

Ibori was given a 13 year jail sentence by the British Southcrown Court in April 2012 after being convicted for fraud and money laundering.

Meanwhile, it is believed that an additional £80 million has been temporarily seized and a confiscation hearing has been fixed for April 2015.

Broad, who attributed the success of the Ibori case to partnership with the nation’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said “the case signified Nigeria’s commitment to the fight corruption.

Broad said, “In the light of the Ibori case, Nigeria has done a fantastic job in tackling corruption. Corruption does not go away easily, addressing it requires continuous process and the UK Metropolitan Police will continue to collaborate with Nigerian authorities on cross border international investigation.”