‘Delta govt hasn’t received £4.2 million returned from UK’

*Why state can’t get money, by Buhari’s aide

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

Delta State Government on Wednesday said it had not received the 4.2 million pounds Ibori cash returned by the United Kingdom from the Federal Government.

It said that although the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr Ahmed Idris, had disclosed on Tuesday before the House of Representatives Committee on Recovered Assets, in Abuja, that the funds had been released to the state, the money had not arrived in its coffers.

The government, however, said in a statement by Mr Olisa Ifeajika, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, in Asaba, that it was in contact with the Federal Government, especially the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, on the issue.

It expressed appreciation for the disposition of the Federal Government in releasing the funds to the state, and assured that it would acknowledge receipt of the funds when it arrives.

The state also assured the Federal Government and Deltans that the funds would, in tandem with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration’s hallmark, be judiciously deployed especially in the completion of projects it had earlier intimated the Presidency about.

Recall that the Accountant General of the Federation, Mr Ahmed Idris had said while appearing before the House of Representatives’ Ad hoc Committee on Assessment and Status of All Recovered Loots Movable and Immovable Assets from 2002 to 2020 by Agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria for Effective Efficient Management and Utilisation, that the £4.2m looted by former Governor James Ibori recently repatriated by the Federal Government from the United Kingdom has been returned to Delta State.

The Accountant-General told the Committee such funds looted from the treasury of a state are always returned to the state.

He added that states can sue the Federal Government to recover such funds

However, confirming the position of the Delta State government and contrary to the claim by the AGF, Idris, the Special Assistant to President Muhammdu Buhari on social media, Lauretta Onochie in a Facebook post on Wednesday explained that Delta State did not receive the looted funds because Nigeria may lose the opportunity to receive more looted funds, if it breaks the agreement it signed with the British government.

She wrote, “We know what we heard, but we also know the facts. Let me remind us. Before we start “admonishing, praising and decamping”, let’s pause for a minute and breathe in and out!

“Was the recovered Ibori loot returned to the Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa-led Delta State government? No.

“Now, let me remind us. The Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Mallami, the British High Commissioner, Catriona Laing and other relevant agencies held a press conference openly telling the world when the money would be returned, and the specific projects the money was approved for. Openly.

“When it was delayed, the Attorney General informed Nigerians of the reason for the delay. When the loot arrived, Nigerians were informed too.

The conditions under which the funds were repatriated, still stand. Again, no penny was paid to the Delta State government.

“If we break the conditions for getting this chicken amount, how do we get the elephant amount that is still coming?

“The British High Commissioner is also keeping an open eye on those projects.

“I know what we all heard. But we also know the facts. Pres. Muhammadu Buhari runs an open government. The Attorney General is part of the open policy. Nothing hidden.

“Nigerians would be the first to know if he decides to break an agreement made with Britain. I very much doubt it. He’s an Honourable man. God bless Nigeria.”