metro

‘I am a mad man if I do not contest this’ — Ibori reacts to £101.5m forfeiture order

Published

3 years ago

July 23, 2023

James Onanefe Ibori

‘I am a mad man if I do not contest this’ — Ibori reacts to £101.5m forfeiture order

James Onanefe Ibori, a former Governor of Delta State, has broken silence over the UK’s Southwark Crown Court’s ruling to forfeit £101.5 million or risk eight years in jail.

In a Facebook statement, the former governor said that after more than a decade of confiscating and investigating his assets, Judge David Tomlinson’s July 21 ruling demonstrated that he could no longer trust the court to treat him fairly or give him justice, and that he would appeal the ruling.

Ibori had previously spent a five-year jail term in the UK from 2012 to 2016, after pleading guilty to ten counts of fraud and money laundering charges. In 2020, the UK authorities reopened charges against him, tying him to illicitly obtained assets worth £117 million.

On Friday, Tomlinson, a Southwark Crown Court Judge, ruled that Ibori must pay £101.5 million right away or face an eight-year prison sentence.

Responding, Ibori wrote:

“Albert Einstein is quoted as saying that the ‘definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result’”.

“If that is true then I must be going mad because in over a decade since the British courts have been persecuting myself and those close to me, I kept believing that justice and fairness would eventually triumph.

READ ALSO:

“In hearing after hearing through the years, despite some of the most logic defying rulings against me, I still believed. Despite clear evidence of police corruption against the main officer in my case (evidence so strong that it caused the lead prosecutor to resign from my case), I still believed. Despite a clear victory in my 2013 confiscation hearing which left the Judge unable to make an order against me, only to have him rule that the prosecution should start the trial afresh some years later – I still believed.

“However, today’s ruling from Judge Tomlinson is difficult to comprehend and even harder to accept. I have to move past the fact that the British courts found themselves competent to sit in judgment over contracts awarded in Delta State; contracts that were legitimately awarded and completed. I have come to accept my fate despite the inability of the British prosecutors to show any evidence whatsoever of monies defrauded or indeed missing from Delta State.

“Since 2005, the British prosecutors have investigated my assets worldwide; they have had a restraint order in place on most of those assets and they are well aware that the total monetary value of those assets is nowhere close to the sums that were the subject of today’s order.

“Notwithstanding the fact that many of the assets are not and have never been owned by me – it seems that if you are my friend and you allowed me to spend some holiday time in your house, then by this order I now own your home and must ask you to sell it to satisfy the Order.

“The Order made today was to be paid immediately, this was made in the full knowledge that it could take many months to actually realise the sale of many of these assets.

READ ALSO:

“There is an eight-year default sentence, which means that if I do not co-operate and pay nothing at all, then the prosecution can apply for the imposition of the default sentence. However, as the prosecution already has a Restraint Order over the assets – the situation of my not co-operating or paying should not arise.

“However, an issue arises if my Restrained Assets are sold, and the total realised from the sale does not equal the amount in the Order, then the Prosecution can still apply for part of the default sentence to be applied, but they could only ask for a sliding scale reduction of the eight years default sentence based on the amounts that remain outstanding.

“If such an application were to be made it would be vigorously contested. In the normal course of events any talk of a default sentence would normally be stayed until any outstanding Appeal has been concluded.

“The Judge in this case has appeared to have cast aside any pretence of impartiality and has made an Order which is both wholly unrealistic and unrealisable. He has completely disregarded any arguments, evidence or expert witnesses in my favour. It was apparent during these last two days that he has forgotten many of the important elements of the case which is unsurprising as it almost 2 years since the case concluded.

“It has taken him two years to write this Judgment and in the interim he has presided over hundreds of cases, but I refuse to make excuses for him.

“At this point in time words fail me and so the question for me as I take my case to the Court of Appeal, is, if I continue to believe that I may finally get some Justice, is this the definition of madness? I know one thing for sure, that if I do not go to the Court of Appeal to contest this outrageous Order the people will definitely say that I am a madman!”

Related Topics:Featured forfeiture James Onanefe Ibori

Up Next

NDLEA arrests man swallowing 93 pallets of cocaine in Lagos hotel

Don't Miss

Six die after consuming alcohol to settle fight in Ogun

metro

Anambra Govt Shuts NASPA Market Over Sit‑At‑Home Defiance

Published

15 minutes ago

February 23, 2026

Trends Admin

Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo

Anambra Govt Shuts NASPA Market Over Sit‑At‑Home Defiance

The Anambra State Government has closed the New Auto Spare Parts Association (NASPA) Market at Nkwo Nnewi after traders failed to comply with a directive by Chukwuma Soludo to end the Monday sit‑at‑home order that had disrupted business activities in the state.

The closure, which took effect from midnight Monday, will last until Monday, March 2, with a warning from authorities that further sanctions may follow if compliance remains low when the market reopens.

According to Dr. Law Mefor, the state Commissioner for Information, the shutdown followed low adherence to Gov. Soludo’s earlier directive requiring markets, schools, and businesses to operate normally on Mondays. The closure order was issued on behalf of the governor by the Special Adviser on Trade and Markets, Chief Evarist Uba.

READ ALSO:

“Traders and customers are advised to avoid NASPA Market until next Monday to prevent any issues with law enforcement agents,” Mefor said, stressing the importance of restoring economic normalcy in Anambra.

While most markets in the state resumed regular operations on Monday following the governor’s late January order, some traders at NASPA Market opted to remain closed, citing pressure from groups supporting the sit‑at‑home practice.

Market leaders explained that many traders initially feared unrest and potential backlash, but state authorities have increased security presence and engaged with local stakeholders to ensure a safe environment for business.

Analysts note that the government’s action reflects its commitment to economic recovery, safeguarding livelihoods, and reinforcing compliance with state directives in key commercial hubs like Nnewi and Awka, known for their vibrant trading activities.

The state government reiterated that its firm stance is aimed at protecting jobs, boosting business confidence, and ensuring uninterrupted trade across Anambra State.

Anambra Govt Shuts NASPA Market Over Sit‑At‑Home Defiance

metro

EFCC Nabs 20, Seizes ₦17m Over Vote Buying in FCT Elections

Published

36 minutes ago

February 23, 2026

Trends Admin

EFCC Nabs 20, Seizes ₦17m Over Vote Buying in FCT Elections

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 20 suspects over alleged vote buying and other electoral offences during Saturday’s Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

In a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday, the anti-graft agency disclosed that its operatives recovered more than ₦17 million in cash from some of the suspects during coordinated enforcement operations across the territory.

According to the EFCC, arrests were recorded in Kwali, Abaji, Gwagwalada and Kuje Area Councils, with offences ranging from vote buying and vote selling to the unlawful possession of large sums of cash near polling units.

The commission revealed that one suspect was intercepted with ₦13.5 million inside a vehicle parked close to a polling unit in Kwali Area Council, raising strong suspicion that the money was intended for voter inducement. Other suspects were arrested with varying amounts of cash allegedly meant to influence voters during the election.

READ ALSO:

The EFCC said the operation was part of its pre-election and election-day deployment aimed at curbing the influence of money in the electoral process and strengthening electoral integrity in the nation’s capital.

“All suspects arrested will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations,” the commission stated, reiterating that vote buying and selling are criminal offences under Nigeria’s laws.

The FCT Area Council elections recorded low voter turnout, while allegations of electoral malpractice emerged from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), whose candidates lost in several councils.

Despite the controversy, the All Progressives Congress (APC) dominated the polls, winning five of the six chairmanship seats, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured victory in Gwagwalada Area Council.

The EFCC reaffirmed its commitment to free, fair and credible elections, warning politicians, party agents and voters that the commission would continue to deploy operatives to monitor elections and prosecute offenders.

EFCC Nabs 20, Seizes ₦17m Over Vote Buying in FCT Elections

metro

El-Rufai Sues ICPC for ₦1bn Over Alleged Illegal Raid on Abuja Residence

Published

52 minutes ago

February 23, 2026

Trends Admin

Former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai

El-Rufai Sues ICPC for ₦1bn Over Alleged Illegal Raid on Abuja Residence

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has instituted a ₦1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over the alleged unlawful invasion and search of his Abuja residence.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja, El-Rufai is asking the court to invalidate a search warrant issued on February 4 by a Chief Magistrate of the Magistrate’s Court of the FCT, describing it as defective, vague, and unconstitutional.

The former governor, through his legal team led by Oluwole Iyamu, argued that the warrant lacked specificity, contained material drafting and typographical errors, was overbroad, and was issued without probable cause, thereby violating his constitutional right to privacy under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

El-Rufai named the ICPC, the Chief Magistrate of the FCT Magistrate’s Court, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Attorney-General of the Federation as respondents in the suit.

READ ALSO:

According to court documents, operatives of the ICPC and Nigeria Police Force allegedly invaded El-Rufai’s residence at House 12, Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Abuja, on February 19 at about 2:00 p.m., acting under the disputed warrant. He claimed the operation amounted to a gross violation of his fundamental rights, including the right to dignity of the human person, personal liberty, fair hearing, and privacy, as guaranteed under Sections 34, 35, 36, and 37 of the Constitution.

The former governor further urged the court to rule that any evidence obtained during the search is inadmissible, having been procured through an illegal and unconstitutional process. He also sought an injunction restraining the respondents from relying on, using, or tendering any items seized during the operation.

As part of his reliefs, El-Rufai demanded ₦1 billion in damages, broken down into ₦300 million as compensatory damages for psychological trauma and emotional distress, ₦400 million as exemplary damages to deter future misconduct by law enforcement agencies, and ₦300 million as aggravated damages for what he described as the malicious, high-handed, and oppressive conduct of the respondents. He also requested ₦100 million as cost of litigation, covering legal fees and associated expenses.

In his legal arguments, Iyamu maintained that the warrant violated provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, particularly Sections 143–148, as well as Section 36 of the ICPC Act, 2000. He argued that the warrant failed to clearly describe the items to be seized, was improperly addressed, and lacked the sworn information required to justify its issuance.

An affidavit in support of the application, deposed to by Mohammed Shaba, stated that officers involved in the raid did not submit themselves for search, seized personal documents and electronic devices, and have failed to return the items. He added that the incident caused humiliation, distress, and psychological trauma to the former governor.

The case is expected to test the limits of search-and-seizure powers of anti-graft and law enforcement agencies, as well as reinforce judicial scrutiny over the use of search warrants in high-profile investigations.