Delta State Government battles Federal Government over Ibori's $15m loot

The Delta State Government has gone before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to challenge moves by the Federal Government to claim the $15 million allegedly given to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, by the jailed former Governor of the State, Chief James Ibori, who left office in 2007.

The state, via an application by its Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Charles Ajuyah, SAN, argued that the alleged money legitimately belongs to it, even as it urged the high court to issue an order, remitting the fund to the Delta State treasury.

It will be recalled that the Federal Government had on July 24, filed an ex-parte motion before the same court, wherein it sought to take possession of the money.

The Federal Government which disclosed that the cash was received by officers of the EFCC from an undisclosed agent of the ex-governor, told the court that the commission under its former Chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, deposited the money into the strong room of CBN, on April 26, 2007.

It however, noted that Ibori had since denied giving the cash to either the EFCC or any of its officers.

Consequently, the Federal Government alongside the Attorney General of the Federation and the EFCC, who were listed in the suit as the 1st to 3rd applicants respectively, prayed the court for “an interim order forfeiting the sum of $15m being an unclaimed property in possession of CBN to the Federal Government pending the publication and hearing of the motion on notice for the final forfeiture order of the said property.