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Ibori to Forfeit $15 million EFCC bribe to Federal Government

By on July 25, 2012

In 2007, the EFCC claimed James Ibori tried to bribe it with $15 million in order to compromise its investigation against the former governor. The $15 million was supposedly delivered to Nuhu Ribadu, then EFCC chairman, in cold hard cash.

Nuhu Ribadu reported the bribery attempt to the media and to the court during his case in Kaduna. Ibori denied the allegation and denied ownership of the money.

Since then, the money has been sitting unclaimed in a strong room at the Central Bank of Nigeria.

A Federal High Court judge has granted an interim order forfeiting the money to the Federal Government.

While granting the application, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, said, “Ibori had denied the onwership of the money in question during the Kaduna case.”

He then granted, “an interim order forfeiting the $15m being an unclaimed property in possession of the CBN to the Federal Government, pending the publication and hearing of the motion on notice for the final forfeiture order of the said property.”

He added, “The commission on 26th April, 2007 deposited the said cash of USD15, 000, 000 into the strong room of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“James Ibori has since denied giving the said cash of USD15, 000, 000 to the commission or any of its officers.”

The Justice ordered that the interim order should be published in national daily “for anyone who is interested in the property to appear before the court to show cause within 14 days why the final order of forfeiture should not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.”