Doubts Trail N4.4b Spent On Ibori’s Prosecution

Doubts and anger among Nigerians have trailed the disclosure that the Federal Government spent a whopping 14 million pounds (N4.4 billion) to secure the conviction of former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics, Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption, Senator Victor Lar, had on Friday, stated this during the 2015 budget defence of N542,199,776 for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Lar, however, expressed regrets that the N4.4 billion “is more than 10 years recurrent and capital budgets of all the anti-corruption agencies put together”.

Reacting to the claim, Ibori’s spokeman, Tony Eluemunor, said the figure, though irrelevant to the perceived injustice being meted on his principal, could only be explained by the anti-graft agency.

Speaking on phone, Eluemunor told Sunday Independent on Saturday that the anti-graft agency lacks transparency in its financial dealings, saying, “EFCC could come out to say they spent whatever amount of money on the case, even if they had used it to enjoy themselves.”

Continuing, he said: “This is particularly so because, the EFCC has never publicly published any of its audited accounts.”

“Even the former Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, did not hand over the commission’s financial records appropriately to his successor.

“Based on this, anyone can come out to claim whatever amount in the name of money for prosecuting Ibori.

“Now, imagine, a Ribadu that could not even account for the funds used in running the EFCC under him now wants to be a governor in a state.”

He said Nigerians were particularly unfair on Ibori, saying they were selectively in a hurry to have been prosecuted, even when the court in Asaba had cleared him of any charges.

“I have said this many times and would continue to say it; that Ibori is a victim of political persecution in Nigeria. The case to determine the hearing on Dariye’s case was decided by the Supreme Court seven years after. Nigerians were patient to allow the law take its full course in this case, but were in so much hurry to see Ibori prosecuted. That was most unfair.

“So, no matter the amount they claim they spent on his persecution, it does not take away the fact that he is a victim of political persecution,” Eluemunor said.

He said EFCC is run like a cult, adding also that the commission lacks the requisite stand to effectively prosecute any anti-graft war in Nigeria at the moment.

On his own, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Olisa Agbakoba, described the amount as ridiculous and unbelievable.

“I don’t believe that the Federal Government could spend such amount of money to prosecute a single person,” he said.