Another misfortune is befalling former dictator, General Ibrahim Babangida. Only a month after his political dreams crashed, the government of France has now offered to track and return all the billions of dollars stolen by Babangida during his military regime.
The French government says, however, it will only assist the Nigerian government through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission if Babangida is indicted by a competent court of law.
The Press Attache of the Embassy of France in Abuja, Mr. Emmanuel Gagniarre, denied any direct assistance by the French government to the EFCC on Babangida‘s alleged assets in France.
Babangida, who ruled Nigeria between August 1985 and August 1993 was alleged to have mismanaged more than $12b oil windfall that accrued to Nigeria during the 1991 Gulf War.
A source at the EFCC had disclosed to The PUNCH on Monday that the French government had indicated its willingness to cooperate with the commission in its investigations into Babangida‘s alleged assets in several locations in the south of France.
However, Garniarre said the EFCC had made no official request to the French government towards any moves to investigate Babangida.
He explained that Babangida‘s name did come up when the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Yves Gaudeul, met with the chairman of EFCC, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, in December 2006. ”But the ambassador made it clear to Mr. Ribadu that as long as Babangida has not been indicted by any competent court of law, there is no longer basis to take measures against him,” he said.
The French attache said as long as the French government was aware, Babangida was a free citizen, adding that it was impossible for the French government to confirm or deny if indeed babangida had acquired choice property in exotic locations in France.
He also denied the allegation that the French police had not been cooperating with the EFCC in blowing the lid off Babangida‘s alleged assets in France.
He said, ”It is not a question of the police. There are procedures to follow before our country or any other country can be involved in investigating allegations of corruption against any of its citizens no matter how highly placed. No person can be considered guilty until charged and except a legal basis is established, we are unable to look into such a case.”
He affirmed the French government‘s commitment to assisting Nigeria in the fight against corruption. ”We are 100 per cent committed to helping Nigeria fight its war on corruption. But we insist that there is a procedure to follow especially when the individuals involved have not been charged in their own country. There cannot be a good ground for us to act if the persons concerned have not been officially indicted by their own government.”
He cited the case of former Minister of Petroleum in Nigeria, Mr. Dan Etete, who has been charged to court in France for money laundering as an example of France’s commitment to fighting corruption in Nigeria.
