Bank documentations delaying repatriation of £4.2m Ibori loot — Malami

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, says documentations with banks in different countries is delaying the return of the £4.2m stashed away by a former governor of Delta State, James Ibori.

The Federal Government of Nigeria and the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing and other officials had, on March 9, announced the return of the funds in two weeks.

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Malami, in a statement yesterday by his media aide, Umar Gwandu, said: “Documentations with the banks in different countries often take longer than anticipated. We anticipated two weeks, but we’re not in control of the banks.

“There is neither complacency nor any delay as efforts are being made to ensure successful transfer of the looted funds.”

The government had announced its plan to use the funds to complete the Second Niger Bridge, the Abuja-Kano and Lagos-Ibadan Expressways already being funded by the recovered $311m Abacha Loot III.