December 7, 2007
Saharareporters
Dateline: New York, Dec. 4
Former Delta State governor, James Ibori, whose money laundering case in Britain has become an albatross on the neck of Umar Yar'adua's government, has again fled Nigeria, according to sources close to him.
Ibori, who returned to Nigeria soon after U.S. authorities in Miami started looking into his financial records, was sighted in Abuja several times up till November 22, 2007.
Reliable sources revealed to Saharareporters that the Yar’adua regime, under pressure from British authorities to arrest Ibori, decided to let the embattled former governor slip out of town once again.
Yar’adua, through Attorney General Michael Aondoakaa, is reportedly looking for ways to stall or stop the progress of Ibori’s case in British courts.
During his stay in Abuja, Ibori met with Farouk Adamu, a former member of the House of Representatives and erstwhile chief whip of the ANPP, who is close to Nuhu Ribadu, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The former governor, according to our sources, pleaded with Adamu to broker a deal between him and the EFCC. Ibori offered to return some of his loot to the EFCC in exchange for amnesty.
In his discussion with Farouk, Ibori reportedly denied ever stealing money from Delta State funds to buy the Bombardier Challenger jet seized from him. He also claimed that all the assets seized from him were the fruits of his labor as a "businessman".
When Farouk Adamu asked him why Umar Yar'adua was not helping him to get the EFCC off his back, the former governor confessed that Yar'adua was solidly behind him. He said, however, that Yar’adua was reluctant to approach Nuhu Ribadu directly so as not to give the EFCC chairman a tool to use against Yar’adua in the event that his election is quashed at the electoral tribunal.
Ibori confided in Adamu that Yar'adua had in fact instructed Attorney General Michael Andoakaa to frustrate the ex-governor’s asset forfeiture and money laundering case in London by withholding necessary cooperation from British prosecutors.
Ibori further told Adamu that, as soon as the case in London falls apart, Yar'adua and Aondoakaa can easily frustrate his trial by the EFCC in Nigeria the same way they planned to do with former governors currently facing corruption charges.
Aondoakaa has kept to his side of the bargain in a deal in which the attorney general has been promised 1 million pound sterlings. Aondoakaa has so far written two letters to the British authorities over the Ibori case; each letter was designed to exonerate Ibori of the charges of money laundering.
As Saharareporters has revealed, Aondoakaa has also refused to sign Article 3 of the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty between Nigeria and the UK with regard to the Ibori case. The treaty is meant to facilitate the prosecution of money laundering cases. Aondoakaa has cited several ridiculous reasons for refusing to sign the article, the latest being his allusion to the “ridiculing” of Nigeria's international image if Ibori was tried in the UK for money laundering.
The AGF’s attitude forced the UK Home Secretary to condemn his stance in reports carried by the BBC and Saharareporters last week.
A source at the London Metropolitan Police expressed frustration with the attorney general’s action, which they describe as handing ammunition to Ibori's lawyers.
Despite Nigeria’s slippery maneuvers, London police said they were ready to move against Ibori, expressing shock that the EFCC would allow him to once again slip out their grip. They said that the arrest of Ibori either in Nigeria or elsewhere would be a welcome relief in helping them proceed in London against the former governor and his collaborators.
Saharareporters learnt that Ibori lives in a hotel -African Regent Hotel- (owned by the family of Ghanaian President Kuffour) in the heart of Accra, Ghana, where he checked in under false names. He is often seen moving around in a two-car convoy. Ibori is also known to sneak into Nigeria from time to time.
A source within the Metropolitan Police told Saharareporters that they are monitoring Ibori’s movements and whereabouts. “It’s a matter of time before we get him, one way or another,” said the source.
Meanwhile three of Ibori’s female money laundering accomplices are expected to report to the Metropolitan Police in London on December 19th 2007. The suspects, Udoamaka Okoronkwo, Bimpe Pogoson and Christine Ibie Ibori, may be charged on that date. Ibori may also be declared wanted—and a warrant sought for his arrest.
Dateline: New York, Dec. 4
Former Delta State governor, James Ibori, whose money laundering case in Britain has become an albatross on the neck of Umar Yar'adua's government, has again fled Nigeria, according to sources close to him.
Ibori, who returned to Nigeria soon after U.S. authorities in Miami started looking into his financial records, was sighted in Abuja several times up till November 22, 2007.
Reliable sources revealed to Saharareporters that the Yar’adua regime, under pressure from British authorities to arrest Ibori, decided to let the embattled former governor slip out of town once again.
Yar’adua, through Attorney General Michael Aondoakaa, is reportedly looking for ways to stall or stop the progress of Ibori’s case in British courts.
During his stay in Abuja, Ibori met with Farouk Adamu, a former member of the House of Representatives and erstwhile chief whip of the ANPP, who is close to Nuhu Ribadu, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The former governor, according to our sources, pleaded with Adamu to broker a deal between him and the EFCC. Ibori offered to return some of his loot to the EFCC in exchange for amnesty.
In his discussion with Farouk, Ibori reportedly denied ever stealing money from Delta State funds to buy the Bombardier Challenger jet seized from him. He also claimed that all the assets seized from him were the fruits of his labor as a "businessman".
When Farouk Adamu asked him why Umar Yar'adua was not helping him to get the EFCC off his back, the former governor confessed that Yar'adua was solidly behind him. He said, however, that Yar’adua was reluctant to approach Nuhu Ribadu directly so as not to give the EFCC chairman a tool to use against Yar’adua in the event that his election is quashed at the electoral tribunal.
Ibori confided in Adamu that Yar'adua had in fact instructed Attorney General Michael Andoakaa to frustrate the ex-governor’s asset forfeiture and money laundering case in London by withholding necessary cooperation from British prosecutors.
Ibori further told Adamu that, as soon as the case in London falls apart, Yar'adua and Aondoakaa can easily frustrate his trial by the EFCC in Nigeria the same way they planned to do with former governors currently facing corruption charges.
Aondoakaa has kept to his side of the bargain in a deal in which the attorney general has been promised 1 million pound sterlings. Aondoakaa has so far written two letters to the British authorities over the Ibori case; each letter was designed to exonerate Ibori of the charges of money laundering.
As Saharareporters has revealed, Aondoakaa has also refused to sign Article 3 of the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty between Nigeria and the UK with regard to the Ibori case. The treaty is meant to facilitate the prosecution of money laundering cases. Aondoakaa has cited several ridiculous reasons for refusing to sign the article, the latest being his allusion to the “ridiculing” of Nigeria's international image if Ibori was tried in the UK for money laundering.
The AGF’s attitude forced the UK Home Secretary to condemn his stance in reports carried by the BBC and Saharareporters last week.
A source at the London Metropolitan Police expressed frustration with the attorney general’s action, which they describe as handing ammunition to Ibori's lawyers.
Despite Nigeria’s slippery maneuvers, London police said they were ready to move against Ibori, expressing shock that the EFCC would allow him to once again slip out their grip. They said that the arrest of Ibori either in Nigeria or elsewhere would be a welcome relief in helping them proceed in London against the former governor and his collaborators.
Saharareporters learnt that Ibori lives in a hotel -African Regent Hotel- (owned by the family of Ghanaian President Kuffour) in the heart of Accra, Ghana, where he checked in under false names. He is often seen moving around in a two-car convoy. Ibori is also known to sneak into Nigeria from time to time.
A source within the Metropolitan Police told Saharareporters that they are monitoring Ibori’s movements and whereabouts. “It’s a matter of time before we get him, one way or another,” said the source.
Meanwhile three of Ibori’s female money laundering accomplices are expected to report to the Metropolitan Police in London on December 19th 2007. The suspects, Udoamaka Okoronkwo, Bimpe Pogoson and Christine Ibie Ibori, may be charged on that date. Ibori may also be declared wanted—and a warrant sought for his arrest.
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