The Federal Government of Nigeria and the United States’ government have agreed to a deal to repatriate funds allegedly looted by Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, the former Governor of Bayelsa State who died in 2015.
This was disclosed on Thursday in a statement by the media aide to the Presidency, Bashir Ahmad. Part of the statement said:
- “The Federal Government and Government of the United States have signed an agreement to repatriate $954,000 allegedly stolen by Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, former governor of Bayelsa state.”
The Federal Government and Government of the United States have signed an agreement to repatriate $954,000 allegedly stolen by Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, former governor of Bayelsa state.
— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) February 16, 2023
What you should know: Before his death, Alamieyeseigha was facing money laundering charges, jumped bail and returned to Nigeria and refused to answer summons for trial to continue. This was despite requests by the British Government for the extradition of the former Bayelsa State Governor to London.
In 2015, the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption, Professor Itse Sagay, was quoted as saying that the President Buhari-led government was prepared to assent to the request of the British Government.
He said that the United Kingdom has every legal right to demand the extradition of the former Bayelsa State Governor.
- “The UK is in principle correct to be making such a request based on the fact that the crime was committed on British soil. However, when there is a delay in the trial as a result of time, there may be a consideration on legal grounds so that the trial is not seen as oppressive,” he said.
But the former governor died before the repatration request could be met.
