Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has once again recounted the controversial events surrounding former Delta State Governor James Ibori and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to Obasanjo, an EFCC investigation found that about $200 million had been misappropriated, and he told Ibori to return what remained after accounting for money he had allegedly spent.
Obasanjo’s account claims that instead of returning the amount discussed, Ibori eventually handed over $15 million in cash to the EFCC, which was subsequently deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The $15 million episode has been separately documented in statements by former EFCC chairman Nuhu Ribadu, who said the money was offered to stop the investigation and was taken into evidence. Human Rights Watch also documented Ribadu’s account of the transaction.
Ibori later left Nigeria and was eventually arrested in the United Arab Emirates before being extradited to the United Kingdom. In 2012, he pleaded guilty in a UK court to fraud and money-laundering charges and was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Obasanjo’s latest retelling has once again reignited discussions about one of Nigeria’s most closely followed corruption cases.
