It has been revealed that former Delta State Governor James Ibori tried
to bribe anti-corruption boss Nuhu Ribadu in 2007 with $15 million
(about N2.4 billion) in cash in a bag so heavy one man alone could not lift it, Ribadu told a London court on Thursday.
Ribadu said he pretended to take the bribe because he wanted the cash as evidence to use against Ibori in a prosecution, but rather than keep the money for himself he had it taken straight to the Central Bank of Nigeria to be kept safe in a vault.
He told the court that about $1 billion flowed from federal government accounts into Delta State coffers during Ibori's eight years in power, and he estimated Ibori had stolen or wasted more than half of that amount.
Ribadu said he pretended to take the bribe because he wanted the cash as evidence to use against Ibori in a prosecution, but rather than keep the money for himself he had it taken straight to the Central Bank of Nigeria to be kept safe in a vault.
He told the court that about $1 billion flowed from federal government accounts into Delta State coffers during Ibori's eight years in power, and he estimated Ibori had stolen or wasted more than half of that amount.