Several sources have confirmed to Saharareporters that James Onanefe Ibori, the fugitive former governor of Delta State, has been arrested. Our sources revealed that Interpol agents picked up Mr. Ibori from his posh apartment in Dubai with assistance of the Dubai police. Saharareporters’ sources disclosed that a subdued Ibori sent a text message to Mr. Lulu Enobaifo, one of his closest protégés, announcing his arrest. Another source told Saharareporters that former Governor Niyi Adebayo of Ekiti, a close friend of Ibori’s, was overheard telling friends that Ibori had been arrested in Dubai.
Saharareporters received conflicting reports as to which agency initiated the request for Ibori’s arrest. A source in the UK told Saharareporters that Ibori’s arrest was most likely at the instance of the London Metropolitan police. But a different source, speaking from Abuja, said Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which had earlier declared Ibori wanted after he failed to answer an invitation to appear at the agency’s headquarters for questioning on new money laundering allegations, was behind his arrest. If UK authorities requested Ibori’s arrest, then he is likely to be extradited to London where his associates, including a former mistress Udoamaka Okoronkwo, his sister, Christine Ebie-Ibori, and a former personal aide, Ms Pogoson, are facing charges of assisting the former governor to launder billions of naira stolen from Delta State. Their trial is nearing an end at the Southwark Crown Court. Last Monday, lawyers representing Ibori’s associates began making closing arguments. Our legal correspondent in the UK reports that the jury at the Southwark Crown Court is likely to deliver a verdict in a matter of days.
In what a top security source described as “embarrassing,” a combined team of the Nigerian police and EFCC officials could not arrest Ibori – who for a time was holed up in his country home in Oghara, Delta State. “The scandal is that Chief Ibori enjoys support from various top brass of Nigeria’s security agencies,” said the source, a senior official of the State Security Service (SSS) in Abuja. “That’s why he always received information about the plans to arrest him. And that information gave him the edge to mobilize heavily armed thugs who fought to protect him,” added the source.
Saharareporters learnt that Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, Ibori’s maternal cousin and handpicked successor, left Abuja abruptly tonight to return to Asaba, his state capital, after he received information of Ibori’s arrest.
If Ibori is successfully extradited to the UK, he will be the second person to be extradited under the Extradition Treaty and Mutual Legal Assistance signed between the UK and the government of the United Arab Emirates. The first person was Jeleel Ahmed, 28, who was extradited to the UK in August 2009 to face murder charges.
Posted: at 13-05-2010 01:22 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Onyevickalu at 13-05-2010 02:16 PM (13 years ago) (m)
Dat guy de mean,him think say dey no go catch am.but wait oooo,na true,all the money way efcc dey seize who get am,na wa .dam ar na niaja we dey,which is die and lets live
Posted: at 13-05-2010 02:16 PM (13 years ago) | Newbie
bonny4real at 13-05-2010 02:41 PM (13 years ago) (m)
say justice dey for this country so...may God help us...may EFCC go sleep may they alow us chup..pple wey chup plenty money they no catch them na the chicken change way e remain for we to chup d go dey..follow...may na go catch obasanjo pls .....ask am were our money dey?
Posted: at 13-05-2010 02:41 PM (13 years ago) | Newbie
Ibori's arrest reminds me of ALI-BABA & the 40 thieves. Ibori is only 1 out many (legendary forty-thieves) of his type in dis obodo naija. May Almighty God continue to expose dem anywhere they are. He had carefully beaten the country's security system but failed to beat God's trap. Thanks to Dubai Authorities for their vigilance. EFCC, keep up d gd job. But don't do it like d former Boss who only pursue his Big Oga's opponents and look d other way where members of d ruling party is involved. Kudos 2 those who masterminded Ibori's arrest. For once, may he a his cohorts rot in jail. Amen.
Posted: at 13-05-2010 03:15 PM (13 years ago) | Newbie
chrisfab at 13-05-2010 04:18 PM (13 years ago) (m)
i think its high time we started looking 4 d greatest criminal in nigeria,which is OBASANJO.OBJ should be arrested to explain what happened to d power project he commissioned and squandered d money.i dont knw why dat man is still working freely at d moment.OBJ should be prosecuted and sentenced to death by hanging or perhaps life imprisonment.he is d one dat caused all d problems in nigeria.i don talk am;-)
Posted: at 13-05-2010 04:18 PM (13 years ago) | Upcoming
jazdon2tyms at 13-05-2010 05:37 PM (13 years ago) (m)
Eyaaaaaaaaaa, make dem abeg allow my name sake so him go get freedom johh...... Wetin come happen to d other governors of our country weh follow corrupt dis our country finish, so abeg make dem live am before niger delta boys go come again abeg.
Posted: at 13-05-2010 05:37 PM (13 years ago) | Newbie
the simple fact that..ibori is from delta state and warri boy..not man...man not go fit do lik him and me too am from there..i want make they kill this guy...he own don too much...if obasanjo nor good why you as a governor go thief you own people money ...2 people nor dey craze thesame time
Posted: at 13-05-2010 06:58 PM (13 years ago) | Newbie
Onyevickalu
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bonny4real
etaoko
prince316
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spicygal08
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chrisfab
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