Dear President Buhari, When Will James Ibori Stand Trial in Nigeria? -By Jeff Okoroafor

Ex-Convict Former Governor of Delta State James Ibori Receives Rousing Welcome In Oghara

It is not civilization and its definitely not a 21st century practice either in Nigeria or anywhere around the globe. History has a lot in stock but unfortunately, Nigerians have chosen either by shared laziness, ignorance or complete lack of interest, never to knock on its doors especially when it matters the most. In the past, a jailed individual when freed, is lost in the city, he doesn’t go back to his village and become the hero. The shame, total alienation and contempt that await him is unimaginable and so, keeps him perpetually lost in the city. Today the case is different. James Onanefe Ibori amongst other atrocities he committed, defrauded his state of billions of naira, served jail term in a United Kingdom prison for another offense he committed there, and then returned back home to a warm and cheerful arms of his kinsmen. This I consider a subversion of our national values and a mockery of our national morality. Singularly, such an act by Nigerians on the person of Ibori, exposed us all to ridicule before the comity of nations.

The British government on the 4th of February 2017, issued a statement to the effect that they have dealt with Mr James Ibori under their law. Also, that they will vigorously pursue an asset recovery process and ensure that the funds stolen from Nigeria by Ibori, and transfered to the United Kingdom, are repatrated back to Nigeria. What this means invariably is that the British government have fully dealt with Mr James Ibori for the laws he violated in the United Kingdom and that they have no business with what he did in Nigeria. It indeed calls for an inward circumspection in reviewing such event when another country says such to you. Let’s not forget too quick that Mr James Ibori wasn’t at all tried in Nigeria. Justice Awokulehin’s ruling was fraudulent at best as proved by the Court of Appeal in Benin which stepped down Justice Awokulehin’s ruling and ordered that James Ibori be made to stand trial. As far as the law is concern, that order remains valid and subsisting and so it begs to question the ground upon which the DSS Director cheerfully welcomed Mr James Ibori to his so-called “fatherland”. What happened to midnight raids of doors and window breaking? What happened to “sting” operation?

The government of President Muhammadu Buhari claimed to be fighting corruption, although he has failed in many instances when certain calls are close to home. Another opportunity have presented itself before the government and again the question is, what will he do regarding the subsisting judgment of the Court of Appeal and the fact that Mr James Ibori should be made to stand trial for the laws he violated in Nigeria?

Nigerians need to know when the EFCC will be getting to work.