Six ex-governors, including some of those on trial, are in trouble over alleged acquisition of assets worth £15million in the United Kingdom, while in office.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the Met Police on Monday began talks on the tracing of the affected assets in the UK.


Investigation by our correspondent revealed that some of the assets were acquired between 2005 and 2011.


It was gathered that the suspected ex-governors cut across the South-West, South-East, North-East, South-South and North-Central.


One of the governors was said to have paid £1.6million at a go in 2005 for a posh mansion in London.


Source said the session between the EFCC and Met Police provided an opportunity for the two sides to echange information on the ex-governors, trace the affected assets and secure court injunctions for the purpose of seizing the assets temporarily pending their trial.


The source said: “We have some intelligence reports on the assets acquired by these ex-governors and we have turned in these to Met Police for verification.
“While the EFCC team was led by its chairman, Mrs. Farida Waziri, a crack intelligence officer, Peter Clark led the Met Police group.
“It is too early to give details of the ongoing investigation of the UK assets of these governors but we have gathered some dossiers on them for the Met Police to assist us.”


Responding to a question, the source added: “The outcome of the Met Police investigation will be useful for trial here at home or abroad. If necessary, some of these ex-governors may be extradited to the UK for trial.


“I can tell you that there is no place to hide for them.”
The assets in question may be seized under the Interim Forfeiture Order in Sections 26 and 29 of the EFCC Act.
The section reads: “Any property subject to forfeiture under this Act may be seized by the commission in the following circumstances- (a) the seizure is incidental to an arrest or search; or (b) in the case of property liable to forfeiture upon process issued by the Court following an application made by the Commission in accordance with the prescribed rules


“Whenever property is seized under any of the provisions of this Act, the Commission may-(a) place the property under seal; or (b) remove the property to a place designated by the Commission.
“Properties taken or detained under this section shall be deemed to be in custody of the Commission, subject only to an order of a Court.”
The EFCC and the Metropolitan Police have been collaborating in the past few years.
The British government had, in 2008, expressed its willingness to return about £40 million stolen funds recovered from some Nigerian government officials.
A former Acting British High Commissioner to Nigeria, James Tansley, on September 27, 2007, for handed, over two cheques for more than $250,000 (£126,000, 29.3m naira) to Nigeria.
The UK Metropolitan Police had said the amount was only a fraction of the fortunes that the former Governor of Plateau State, Chief Joshua Dariye and other Nigerian officials had diverted to London.
A cheque for $2 million belonging to a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, was also returned to Nigeria by the British government

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/23703-efcc-london-police-trace-assets-of-six-ex-governors-in-uk.html