A state prosecutor in London has called for a confiscation order of more than £100 million ($129 million) from Nigerian politician James Ibori, who was convicted of fraud and money-laundering and spent several years in a British prison.
James Ibori, a former governor of Delta State in Nigeria, was extradited from Dubai to London in 2011, where he faced charges related to money laundering and corruption. He pleaded guilty to ten counts of fraud and money-laundering in 2012 and received a 13-year jail sentence.
After more than a decade of legal proceedings and delays, the effort to confiscate funds believed to be the proceeds of Ibori’s criminal activities is nearing completion. Judge David Tomlinson of Southwark Crown Court has already issued a confiscation order, and it is expected to be finalized and formally issued shortly.
The prosecution is seeking a total of £101.5 million to be confiscated from Ibori, and if he fails to pay, he could face an additional sentence of five to ten years in prison. Having served half of his prison sentence in pre- and post-trial detention, Ibori returned to Nigeria in 2017 and did not attend the recent court hearing. He plans to appeal against the confiscation order.
Despite being convicted of serious offenses, Ibori remains influential and well-connected in Nigerian politics. He has been hosted twice by President Bola Tinubu at the presidential villa, along with other former governors.
The case against Ibori is considered a landmark in the fight against corruption, as it is rare for foreign kleptocrats attracted to the UK’s financial and legal services and lucrative property market to be successfully prosecuted.
Britain has pledged to return any recovered funds from Ibori to Nigeria. In 2021, it returned £4.2 million that had been confiscated from Ibori’s ex-wife and sister, who also served jail time for their involvement in money laundering on his behalf.
