Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, has said that the £4.2 million asset recovered from former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, must be returned to the state.
Read Also: Funds For Procurement Of Arms Can’t Be Stolen Under Buhari – Presidency
Abubakar Malami, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), at a ceremony with the UK High Commission on Wednesday, while announcing the return of the loot, said the funds will be used to complete the ongoing work on second Niger Bridge, Abuja-Kano road, and the Lagos-Ibadan road.
However, Falana, a senior advocate, stressed that the Federal Government cannot convert the recovered sum under local and international law, noting that the repatriated funds from Joshua Dariye and DSP Alamieyesigha in the UK were given to their respective states of Plateau and Bayelsa.
Read Also: Army Foils Bandits’ Attack On Another School In Kaduna
“In AG Lagos State v AGF, it was held that the federal government lacks the ‘vires’ to confiscate or seize the fund payable to the local governments in Lagos State from the Federation Account. Since it is not in doubt that the £4.2 million belongs to Delta State, the federal government cannot, under any law, seize the fund and use it to fix Kano-Abuja road and Lagos-Ibadan road. Why not Warri-Asaba road?”
Read Also: US City To Pay Family Of Murdered George Floyd $27m Compensation
According to him, the MoU signed with the British government in 2016 for the repatriation, which has not been domesticated by the National Assembly under Section 12 of the Nigerian Constitution, is of no legal effect whatsoever.
He said under international law, the recovered fund has to be paid to the victims of the corrupt practice in Delta State, in accordance with Article 35 of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.
Read Also: APC Can’t Account For N15trn Stolen By Its Leaders – PDP
The House of Representatives has also called on the federal government to return the loot to the Delta State government.
Discussion about this post