₦airaland Forum

There were indications in Abuja on Sunday that the ‘closeness’ of former Delta State governor, Chief James Ibori, to President Umaru Yar’Adua informed the decision of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to request the Metropolitan Police to investigate him in Britain.

Although an official of the EFCC who spoke with one of our correspondents did not say when the request was made, he explained that it was a ‘smart way’ by the commission to start recovering some of Ibori’s alleged loot.

Reports in the media on Saturday had it that a London court had frozen Ibori’s assets worth about £2.5m. The court also impounded a new aircraft still with its manufacturers in Canada.

Ibori is ranked next to former President Olusegun Obasanjo among power brokers that made the election of Yar’Adua possible.

He is believed to be one of the major financiers of the President’s campaign.

The EFCC official, who pleaded anonymity, added that the decision to ‘outsource’ the former governor’s investigation to the Met Police was taken in view of the fact that the EFCC was not sure of the President’s disposition to the matter (investigation).

He said though Yar’Adua had never intervened in its work, the EFCC was not sure whether he would be offended if the commission moved against Ibori, especially in Nigeria.

The official said the EFCC also did not want to expose the President to undue pressure from people close to Ibori.

The source also said that the commission opted to allow the Met Police to ‘handle’ the former governor’s investigation because ‘our hands are full.’

He said, “We do not have enough resources to prosecute all the cases on our hand.

“What has happened is that we have outsourced Ibori’s investigation. If you like, you can say that we have sub-contracted it to the Met Police.

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