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By Chukwudi Nweje, Lagos
A socio-political group, Rescue Nigeria Economy Project, says that the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami is being manipulated by the British Government on the repatriation of £4.2 million allegedly seized from Chief James Ibori, a former governor of Delta State.
It said the British Government is aware of a pending litigation before the United Kingdom (UK) court on the seized funds before signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to repatriate the funds as well as listing projects the funds will be expended on.
The group, in a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Dennis Alamu-George, asked Malami to stop distracting Nigerians from the failings of the government.
‘We are surprised at the naivety Mr Malami has demonstrated so far on this particular issue. He is being manipulated by the British Government and he is too naive to know that,’ Alamu-George said.
‘The British High Commissioner knew that the litigation was still ongoing in the UK courts. Having followed the matter closely and noticed Mr Malami’s incessant statements on the Ibori saga, we strongly believe that their aim is to continually put the issue in the media for propaganda purposes.
‘If Mr Malami thinks he can divert the attention of over 200 million Nigerians from the worsening insecurity challenges in the country and the failings of the government in general, then he is just fooling himself.’
Malami, in his reply to a letter written by faction of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) requesting that the funds be used exclusively in Delta State, said the former Delta State governor was stalling the repatriation of the confiscated fund through the UK suit.
