A former deputy governor of Kaduna State, James Bawa Magaji, on Thursday, said returning the £4.2m looted fund recovered from a former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, to the state would encourage corruption and make a laughing stock of Nigeria’s fight against corruption.
Magaji said the money did not belong to Delta State because it was long lost, adding that no government in the state after Ibori’s reign had lodged a formal complaint with EFCC.
“I support the FG’s plan to invest the Ibori loot of 4.2m pounds and other expected stolen funds to be repatriated to the country.
“There’s no guarantee that money, if returned to Delta State, would not go the same way as before or worse still, find its way back to the culprit,” the former deputy governor said.
He said seizing the money would improve Nigeria’s electoral process, especially at state level, by discouraging the practice whereby outgoing governors, by hook or crook, impose successors, whom they believe will cover their ‘back’ after they leave office.
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