Why FG Cannot Return Ibori Loot To Delta State – Malami

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, SAN, has restated that the repatriated £4.2 million looted by former Governor James Ibori will not be returned to the Delta State government.

Recall the AGF had confirmed that the federal government had received the said money.

While appearing on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Wednesday, he said that the agreement to channel the funds towards the Second Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and other projects was already sealed and signed with the United Kingdom.

According to him, it was no longer subject to review and that legal actions by stakeholders in Delta State cannot undo what had been done or agreed upon.

“The tune has not been exclusively dictated by the UK; what happened was a product of negotiations.

“If monies were not looted down to the UK, the UK could not have a say as to what we do.

“There is no legal action that can bring the UK back to renegotiation.

“As far as this agreement is concerned, it is signed, sealed and delivered,” he said.

The AGF frowned at Nigerians who looted assets to the UK, but added that the reputation of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration was making respective countries to cooperate in returning such funds.

“While some other countries were finding it very difficult repatriating monies, Nigeria has been having it so good arising from the reputation of the present government, ” Malami said.

Regarding the calls for restructuring, he said the governors making the calls have not even allowed their local governments to have their autonomy.