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Former Delta State Governor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, may have fled Nigeria in the wake of the intense manhunt for him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and security agencies.
The ex-governor has apparently become a fugitive after a two-week standoff with the EFCC, which had invited him over allegations bordering on misuse of millions of Delta State shares running into billions of naira during Ibori’s tenure between 1999 and 2007.
But the immediate past Delta chief executive had spurned the invitation, claiming that the EFCC breached due process by declaring him wanted four days before the April 17, 2010 date on his invitation letter.
He also alleged political vendetta by the Acting President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, who he said was using the anti-graft agency to witch-hunt him because of alleged political differences.
Besides, Ibori expressed fears that the EFCC was planning to extradite him to the United Kingdom where he is still on trial for alleged money laundering. Sunday Sun investigation however revealed that he may have stealthily beaten the security dragnet around him and escaped in a boat through the Oghara River en route the Escravos area of the state initially to one of the neighbouring countries.
Sources say he left Oghara in the wee hours of Wednesday after the botched police raid on the community the previous day and that his escape was facilitated by a well-known Itsekiri former militant leader in the state.
His destination is still uncertain but it was gathered that he may be headed for Dubai in the oil-rich United Arab Emirate, where the ex-governor reportedly has a home.
In the last one week, a combined team of the police and soldiers attached to the military Joint Task Force (JTF) in Delta had made futile attempts to arrest him at his Oghara country home.
Thousands of youths, women and children had last Tuesday and Wednesday mounted barricades that prevented the police from entering the community, following a directive by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ogbonnaya Onovo, that Ibori be fished out.
The harried ex-governor was initially suspected to be holed up in the creeks of the Niger Delta and was being allegedly shielded by fierce-looking armed militant youths.
But a JTF source informed that this was unlikely, as the security outfit had reportedly combed the creeks of Delta and Bayelsa states in the bid to smoke him out.
According to the source, “we have searched everywhere, including some of the camps used by former militants. But the man (Ibori) is not there. As I speak to you, we are not sure he is still in Oghara. But we have not given up our search and we are sure we will get him.”
Delta government officials panic
The Ibori saga has caused a scare among officials of the state government as some of them have reportedly gone underground to escape arrest by the EFCC.
Sunday Sun learnt that fear has gripped top officials of the state Ministry of Finance following the invitation of a director in the ministry by the EFCC. At the time of this report, it was gathered that the director in charge of investments in the ministry was still being detained almost two weeks after he was invited by the anti-corruption agency.
The permanent secretary in the ministry and Auditor-General of the state are also said to have gone into hiding. Their whereabouts were unknown when EFCC operatives visited their ministry and department in continuation of the agency’s investigation on the allegations of fraud against the former governor.
Why we’re defending Ibori – Oghara chief
In an unprecedented development, Ibori’s Oghara community had on Tuesday resisted his arrest when EFCC operatives and a security team led by Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr Udom Ekpoudom, stormed his country home.
A septuagenarian and well-respected chief in the community, who does not want his name in print, however defended the action of the youths, saying they believe Ibori was being witch-hunted.
“No matter what happens, Ibori is our son. We cannot fold our arms and watch him being disgraced for reasons that border on political vendetta.
“Besides, it will amount to betrayal of Ibori if we had kept quiet and allowed the police to pick him just like that. Ibori is our hero and we are very proud of him. If not for Ibori, Oghara would not have known development. Come to Oghara and see what I’m talking about.
“Today, Oghara has a stadium, a well-equipped general hospital, polytechnic, college of education and other social amenities. It was during the Ibori administration that the road to Oghara was dualised with street light. At night, people say Oghara is small London. Do you now want us to abandon such a person at a time like this because of an allegation that has not been proved? Oghara people are ready to die for Ibori and we mean it,” the elder said.
He’s not on the run – Aide
When contacted on the telephone, Ibori’s media aide, Mr Tony Eluemunor, said the former governor was not on the run and that he had no reason to flee the country.
He defended his principal’s refusal to turn himself in to the EFCC, saying Ibori stands by the ruling of the court that all parties must maintain the status quo. Excerpts…
We hear Ibori has fled the country…
First of all, Ibori has no reason to run from anywhere, from anybody. We went to court and it ruled that all parties in this case maintain the status quo. So he is not running from anybody.
So is he still in the country and when is he likely to hand himself over to the EFCC?
Hand himself over to where? I just told you that everybody was asked to maintain a status quo, including the EFCC. So can’t somebody ask EFCC to leave Ibori alone?
So what is his stand?
Ibori stands on that court ruling. Every party should maintain the status quo. I’m sure your paper had Ibori’s position on Wednesday or so.
So what you are saying is that he has no reason to leave Nigeria
God bless you for this. He has no reason to be on the run because there is a court ruling and the EFCC woman is a lawyer. I know she knows the right thing to do. The IG, (Ogbonnaya) Onovo, may also be a lawyer. But most of all, I know that Onovo is a gentleman. Anybody who now says he is looking for Ibori is breaking the law. That is it.
If Ibori runs abroad, he will be playing into the hands of his enemies. This is persecution and not prosecution. It is close to the election year, so some people want him out of the way. Ibori said he does not want to contest for anything but they want him completely out of the way. That is why they are after him. There is no case against him. EFCC itself has not mentioned one single charge against him. Nothing. They just declared somebody wanted without a charge. People are wanted for bank robbery or for murder. For him, nothing. Ibori is the first person in the whole wide world who has been wanted not for any reason.
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