In 1984, President Muhammadu Buhari’s government notoriously despatched agents to London to drug kidnap Umaru Dikko, a minister in the previous government accused of embezzlement.
The plot was only rumbled when a customs officer at Stansted Airport became suspicious about a crate marked “diplomatic baggage” that was due to be picked up by a Nigerian airliner, and opened it to find an unconscious Mr Dikko inside.
The incident sparked a major diplomatic fall-out with Britain and saw four men jailed for kidnapping.
Today, Mr Buhari is again on the trail of alleged embezzlers, some of whom are accused of stealing billions of pounds from the Nigerian government during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
However, while one of them has already been arrested in Britain – with more arrests expected – this time he is content to let Scotland Yard pursue them on his behalf.