Tussle Over James Ibori’s Bribe Money

The Federal Government is currently in court with the government of Delta State. In dispute is an alleged $15 million (about N2.4 billion) bribe money offered to the ex-chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, by former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori.

Chief Ibori is at present serving a jail term in the United Kingdom after being convicted on corruption charges. The controversial bribe money was purportedly offered to Ribadu through an undisclosed third party and which the former EFCC boss reportedly handed over to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for safe-keeping. And now, the puzzle: who owns the bribe money, the Federal government or Delta State?

This matter has been generating robust debates. But, at the end of the day, what should be of public interest is not really who wins the case. It is what becomes of the bribe money thereafter. A typical case in point is the whereabouts of the repatriated loot of late military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha.
Till now, government has not come straight on what happened to the repatriated funds. The public expectation in the present case is a careful and unbiased judicial ruling that will lay the entire matter to rest.

The Federal Government, through the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, had deposed that the bribe money was received by officers of the EFCC from an undisclosed agent of Chief Ibori. The money, the government claimed, has been in the vaults of the CBN since April 26, 2007. It however noted that Ibori had since denied giving any such cash to either Ribadu or any officer of the anti-graft agency.
However, the Delta State government decided to join issues with the Federal government’s claims. In the application filed by the State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Chief Charles Ajuyah (SAN), it averred that the money in contention is the “exclusive property” of Delta State since it was allegedly offered and received when Ibori held sway as governor of the state. In its statement of claims, the Delta State government says the release of the money to it would facilitate the development of the state. Meanwhile, the case has been adjourned till September 1, 2012. Hmmm, Nigeria my country!!!