• About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
Thursday, April 15, 2021
Niger Delta Today
Advertisement
  • Home
  • Niger Delta
    • Abia State
    • Akwa Ibom
    • Bayelsa State
    • Cross River
    • Delta
    • Edo
    • Imo
    • Ondo
    • Rivers
  • National News
  • Politics
  • Metro
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Editorial
  • Opinion
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Niger Delta
    • Abia State
    • Akwa Ibom
    • Bayelsa State
    • Cross River
    • Delta
    • Edo
    • Imo
    • Ondo
    • Rivers
  • National News
  • Politics
  • Metro
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Editorial
  • Opinion
Niger Delta Today
No Result
View All Result

Ibori’s Kinsmen React To UK’s Plan To Return £4.2m Seized From Former Delta Gov

by Niger Delta Today
March 9, 2021
in National News
0
Chief James Onanefe Ibori

Chief James Onanefe Ibori

ADVERTISEMENT

The Oghara Development Union, (ODU) Lagos Branch, has called on the Federal Government to insist that every single penny that has been forfeited by Chief James Onanefe Ibori’s associates in the London trial, should be returned to Nigeria. Ibori is from Oghara town in the Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State.

The union said in a statement signed by Sunday Agbofodoh, General Secretary: “The Oghara Development Union stands squarely with Chief Ibori in maintaining his innocence, and so without conceding that Ibori was guilty as charged, and specifying that the forfeited houses were not bought with illicit funds, we nevertheless call on Nigeria to insist that the full worth of the three buildings seized through a court order, be repatriated to Nigeria.

Reacting to a story that broke online Tuesday March 9, that Nigeria and Britain signed an “MOU on the £4.2 million” forfeited by the three women associates of the Ibori London case, the union said as the United Kingdom claimed to be acting without ulterior motives on Nigeria’s behalf, that all the monies forfeited should be returned to Nigeria. The union said it has followed the case diligently and knows that the sum the women forfeited was £6.2 million and not £4.2 million. It said Nigeria should oppose UK’s hypocrisy and insist that the entire sum be returned to Nigeria, or UK would have been engaged in witch-hunting Ibori for profit, by withholding Two Million Pounds Sterling. Nigeria should also demand for the interest on the £6.2 million since 2012 because the money would not have sat idly in the bank without attracting interest.

The ODU said that all assets linked to Ibori were purchased using funds lawfully and properly obtained and some were bought before Ibori became Governor. Ibori’s businesses and the monies that accrued to them were not hidden from the London and Nigerian “persecutors”. The London Police filed in court a paper which showed that one of Ibori’s companies, Mer Engineering, was earning over $7 million annually.

Recommended For You

Late Prince Sam Obi Stabilised Delta As Acting Gov – Chief Ibori

The Recovered Ibori Loot And Governor Okowa’s Solution

How Delta Plans To Utilise Ibori’s Loot From UK – Gov Okowa

UPU To FG: Use Repatriated Money To Fund FUPRE, Take-Off Of Orogun Federal Poly

The forfeited London house linked to the First Lady of Delta state when Ibori was Governor, the Hampstead property, is owned by a family trust. The property was purchased by the company, MER Engineering, which shareholding was held by his family trust. MER had obtained facility loan from NNB, a Nigerian bank. The value of this property at the time of its purchase was £2.1 million, which was covered by the NNB facility of well over £3 million meant for working capital and financing of assets.

The second property belonged to Miss Udoamaka Okoronkwo, and was purchased for £249, 000 through mortgage. Miss Udoamaka is a successful business woman as can be seen from the facility letter dated 19 December 2005 from a bank in favour of her company, Sagicon Nig, Ltd for N121 million (£1.5 million).

The third property, very modest, belonged to Ibori’s sister, a U.K resident, which she purchased for £140, 000. Her husband is a former Federal Permanent Secretary.

ADVERTISEMENT

The ODU said: “As a court ordered that the buildings be forfeited, however unjustly, all the monies realised MUST return to Nigeria. It is on record that Ibori was a successful businessman before he became a Governor in May 1999, involved in oil logistics (Upstream) and trading (Downstream). One of his companies, MER Engineering (Nig Ltd), was established in 1992, seven years before he became Governor. He was publisher of a national newspaper called “Diet”, now called “Daily Independent”.

ALSO READ: PIB: South-South Governors Reject Nat’l Assembly’s 2.5% Trust Fund For Host Community

Also Ibori had a consultancy job with the Federal Government, with a tripartite agreement between him, the FG and the law firm Washington Christian of USA from which he earned between US$ 3 million to US$ 5 million annually, after successfully reaching the specified goals.

ADVERTISEMENT

His bank statements with the Bank of Austria, the Citibank, Barclays Bank and the Meryl Lynch for those years will also show that he had substantial wealth of his own before he held public office for the first time in May 1999. For instance, on March 11, 1998, his Bank of Austria account contained $557,100.00. His Citibank account contained even more; over $1.5 million dollars in 1998. In fact, the Nigerian and UK persecutors (instead of prosecutors) knew that Ibori was already a Citibank Gold and Private Bank Member and a Gold Card member of the British Airways before he became Governor. But they chose the rags to riches publicity stunt to justify their persecution of Ibori for political reasons.  It is well-known that before Ibori became Governor, he self-funded his entire political campaigns – with all the party candidates in 1999.

This should put to rest the lies that Ibori was not wealthy before he became Governor of Delta state. 

Tags: Chief James IboriJames IboriOgharaUK
Previous Post

Crude Oil Price Hits $71/Barrel, Exceeds $30 Benchmark For 2021 Budget

Next Post

Buhari Approves N5b For NIMC

Related Posts

Featured

EFCC Arrests Former Imo Governor, Senator Okorocha

April 13, 2021
Delta

Emerhor, Others Move To Resolve Evwreni Crisis, Disband Vigilante Group

April 11, 2021
National News

Kidnapped Kaduna RCCG Members Regain Freedom, Says Pastor Adeboye

April 9, 2021
A bus touched by SWAT officials
National News

Tension In Aba As Policemen Attack Vehicles In Abia

April 8, 2021
Senator Hope Uzodinma
National News

DSS Informed Gov Uzodinma, Police Of Imo Attack Three Times

April 8, 2021
Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli and President Muhammadu Buhari flanked by Itsekiri chiefs
National News

Olu Of Warri: Chief Ayiri To Brief Buhari On Succession Crisis

April 8, 2021

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

LATEST

PDP Chairmen’s Forum Elects New Leaders

April 15, 2021

10 Dead, 500 Hospitalised After Drinking Expired Juice In Kano

April 15, 2021
Rector of the Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara, Engr. Prof. Emmanuel Ogujor (centre) flanked by the principal staff of the institution during the visit.

Delta Rector Commends Okowa, TETFUND For Infrastructural Devt Of Oghara Poly

April 14, 2021

EFCC Arrests Former Imo Governor, Senator Okorocha

April 13, 2021

Stronger Delta Agenda By Gov Okowa Not A Ruse, Says Aniagwu

April 13, 2021

POPULAR POSTS

  • Enthronement Of New Olu Of Warri Must Follow 1979 Succession Edict – Prince Omolubi

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Olu Of Warri: Chief Ayiri To Brief Buhari On Succession Crisis

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Pregnant Wife Stabs 43-Year-Old Husband To Death In Delta

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Nigerian Boxing Champion, Efe Ajagba, Knocks Out Brian Howard, Remains Undefeated

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • DSS Informed Gov Uzodinma, Police Of Imo Attack Three Times

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • ICYMI: We’ve Not Selected A New Olu Of Warri – Ayiri, Ologbotsere Of Warri

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Evwreni Crisis: Peace Committee To Meet Aggrieved Kingmakers Over Monarch’s Removal

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 37-Year-Old Prince Tsola Emiko Emerges New Olu Of Warri

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • BREAKING: Queen Elizabeth’s husband, Prince Philip, Is Dead

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Why Chief Ayiri Was Suspended As Ologbotsere – Warri Ruling House

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy

© 2019 NIGER DELTA TODAY - Published By NDT Associates Ltd.

No Result
View All Result
  • Niger Delta Today
  • Niger Delta
    • Abia State
    • Akwa Ibom
    • Bayelsa State
    • Cross River
    • Delta
    • Edo
    • Imo
    • Ondo
    • Rivers
  • National News
  • World News
  • Politics
  • Metro
  • Education
  • Business
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Editorial
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Tech
  • Social Media
  • Niger Delta Today TV

© 2019 NIGER DELTA TODAY - Published By NDT Associates Ltd.