Federal Government Begins Extradition Process Of James Ibori After Regaining His Freedom In UK

 

The Federal Government has commenced the process of extraditing former governor of Delta State, Mr. James Ibori, from the United Kingdom. Ibori had been sentenced Ibori to 13 years in prison by Southwark Crown Court in 2012, after the ex-governor pleaded guilty to 10 counts of money laundering and stealing $250m from the Delta State treasury.

He was released on Wednesday following a court order that declined the UK government’s request for an extension of his sentence. The UK Home Office had opposed Ibori’s release on the grounds that the process of the permanent forfeiture of his assets had yet to be completed.

According to the BBC, Amber Rudd, the UK Home Secretary, 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 former governor was 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.

Sources within the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday said that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), had directed the EFCC to forward the file containing the 170 charges earlier brought against Ibori in Nigeria. The EFCC operative said that the Federal Government would liaise with the British government to ensure that Ibori was extradited to 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.”