The Metropolitan Police have concluded plans to dispatch a crack team of detectives to carry out further investigations in Nigeria on the former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori, over money laundering.
The team is expected in Nigeria this week barring unforeseen circumstances, to confer with relevant agencies of government involved in the anti-corruption war.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission are the principal agencies.
The Press Bureau of the Metropolitan Police confirmed the planned visit of the detectives to Nigeria in a reply to an inquiry by Sunday Punch.
The response followed an e-mail sent on Thursday by our reporter to the Metropolitan police on the preparation by the detectives concerning the case involving Ibori.
A source said the detectives were actually expected in Nigeria on Wednesday October 10.
But it could not be established as at press time why they did not come as an officer in the office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation said they had expected their arrival on that date.
The former governor has been in the United States for the past few weeks during which his case came up at a London Court on October 2.
Part of his assets under scrutiny include a Bombadier private plane property in the United Kingdom and money in bank accounts.
The London Police said it was constantly in touch with the Nigerian authorities on the case, apparently in contrast to the perceived public perception of government’s lukewarm attitude towards the case.
The Metropolitan Police told Sunday Punch, “We have been working closely with the Nigerian authorities throughout our investigations. Due to the routine nature of our visits we are in constant communication with all the relevant Nigerian authorities, through all available routes.”
It said operatives drawn from the Special Crime Directorate of the Metropolitan Police would visit Nigeria “In the coming days to gather more evidence on the case.”
However, the London police declined information on the number and calibre of officers that would make up the investigating team.
It said it was constantly in touch with the Nigerian authorities in respect of its routine visits to Nigeria on ongoing investigations.
The police, nonetheless, failed to provide an answer to an inquiry on the exact date the team would arrive in Nigeria, ostensibly for security reasons.
They said, “We are not discussing specific date.”
It also said it was not prepared to respond to further inquiries on the matter.
Ibori is at the moment battling with the London police over his worldwide assets worth 35 million pounds.
The former governor, through his counsel on October 1, successfully made an application at the Southwark Crown Court for the review of the freezing of his assets.
The order had barred Ibori and other suspects from having access to their property, pending their trial for money laundering.
Part of the response to our inquiries read, “We can confirm that Met officers from Economic and Specialist Crime Directorate routinely travel to Nigeria to ascertain the progress of several ongoing investigations. Such a visit will take place in the coming days. It is anticipated that such visits will continue into the coming weeks and months.”
The Federal Ministry of Justice has given an assurance that the ministry and all agencies under it would give maximum co-operation to detectives from the London Metropolitan Police.
Speaking to Sunday Punch in Abuja on Friday, the Chief Press Secretary to the AGF, Mr. Taiye Akinyemi said since the given explicit presidential directive, the ministry and the various agencies were duty-bound to respond very positively.
“The Ministry of Justice is prepared to receive officials from the London Metropolitan Police who are coming here on an investigative mission.
“The minister (Chief Michael Aondoakaa) was expecting to see them on Wednesday but they did not show up. It is a presidential directive that we should all give them all necessary support and co-operation. So, I can assure you that it shall be done that way,” Mr. Akinyemi stated.
The EFCC spokesman in a text message he sent on Saturday, said the “EFCC has always worked with major law enforcement agencies around the world, including the Metropolitan Police. We will continue to do so within the ambits of the EFCC Establishment Act.”
The criminal Court of Appeal on Friday in London extended the order freezing Ibori’s assets till November 29 when the Crown Prosecution and counsels to the former governor are expected to appear in court.
The case involving the former governor had triggered a public row following a letter written by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Aondoakaa to Ibori’s counsels, Ian Timlin (Partner) and Julie Thrower (Solicitor).
It fuelled speculations that the administration of President Umaru Yar’Adua was attempting to shield some of his former colleagues accused of looting public treasury.
Some influential individuals and groups insinuated that the President was unwilling to cooperate with anti-corruption agencies and the British police to bring Ibori to face trial because of his massive support for Yar’Adua during the presidential race last April.
Others attributed the lukewarm attitude to the fact that both men served as PDP governors for two terms of four years each in the last dispensation.
The controversy over the case involving Ibori necessitated a statement by the Presidency on Tuesday, October 9.
In it, the Special Adviser to the President on Communications, Mr. Segun Adeniyi, said Yar’Adua had directed Aondoakaa to co-operate with the London Police in their investigation of Ibori for money laundering.
The statement said the president had approved a visit of the British investigators to Nigeria on the case.
Oct142007