How FG frustrated Ibori’s trial in UK -Falana

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has alleged that the Nigerian Government earlier frustrated the trial of former Governor, James Ibori, in the United Kingdom.

In a statement titled, ‘How FG Frustrated Ibori’s Trial in the UK’, on Sunday, the lawyer narrated how the Federal Government of Nigeria through its Attorney-General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaa, challenged the investigation of Ibori in the United Kingdom in 2009.

Falana, who is the interim Chairman, Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond, said it is funny that the same government could claim ownership of the over £4.2m (N2.2bn) being repatriated.

The senior advocate noted that Aondoakaa had said the UK’s decision to probe Ibori was an insult to Nigeria’s sovereignty.

He said, “It is on record that the Federal Government openly opposed the trial of Chief Ibori in the United Kingdom.  In fact, in utter breach of the provisions of the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty between Nigeria and the United Kingdom the then Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Michael Aondoakaa (SAN) rejected the request to make relevant documents available for the trial in the UK on the ground of sovereignty.

“In particular, Chief Aondoakaa refused to entertain the request of the UK Metropolitan Police and made under bilateral mutual assistance to Nigeria on the grounds that the request was not made by the Home Office.”

He also said the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has consistently said former Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, never stole and yet Buhari uses Abacha’s recovered loot to implement projects.

He, therefore, argued that the Delta State Government could not be denied the billions recovered from its former Governor, James Ibori, just because the state government once said Ibori never stole. Punch