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Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy - Politics - Nairaland

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Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by koruji(m): 4:50am On Mar 28, 2013
I hope GEJ follows Alam on his next journey to the UK.
That way they can both be tried for all their fraud, and insulting the sensibilities of the entire UNIVERSE.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/cover/were-still-waiting-for-alamieyeseigha-in-uk-envoy/
Our Reporter March 28, 2013 4 Comments »
From PAULINUS AIDOGHIE, Abuja

The United Kingdom has said that it has not given up on its efforts to extradite former Bayelsa State governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, back to Britain to face trial.

British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Andrew Pocock, told Daily Sun in an exclusive interview that the former governor who recently got state pardon from his criminal conviction in Nigeria still has an outstanding case of money laundering to answer to in the UK and that the UK government will not give up until Alamieyeseigha is brought to justice.

Alamieyeseigha, then a serving governor, made a dramatic escape from the custody of the British authorities when he fled back to Nigeria from detention in September 2005. He would later be convicted on similar money laundering charges on July 26, 2007 in Nigeria after he was impeached as governor.

Although his recent state pardon by President Goodluck Jonathan hit the UK authorities as a rude shock, Pocock dismissed insinuations that London was planning to sanction Nigeria over the matter. According to him, “that is not the way we do things”.

The High Commissioner also revealed that UK had earlier requested for Alamieyeseigha’s extradition, but did not get any response.

Pocock said the UK had asked the Attorney General and Minister for Justice for Alamieyeseigha’s extradition and was still awaiting his position on the issue when President Goodluck Jonathan all of a sudden announced he has been extricated of all wrong doing via the state clemency.

The move to pardon him even when the application for his extradition to Britain was still pending was like daring the applying nation that feels strongly that Alamieyeseigha has a case to answer in their country.

According to Pocock, “The former governor skipped bail in the UK on a charge of money laundering and returned to Nigeria. So, he has an outstanding charge in the UK, which is there for him to answer.

“We have already discussed it and the Nigerian government knows our views. But we would like to see him return and answer charge in the UK.”

On UK’s past and present efforts to see that Alamieyeseigha is extradited to the UK, Pocock said: “Yes. I think we asked in the past. I am very sure we asked in the past. But I am not sure we got a formal response. So, we are still waiting for a formal response from the Nigerian government.

“We have asked the Attorney General. He will have to tell us what his position is on extradition. I haven’t had a reply yet, but we still wait for it,” the British envoy added.

Pocock who is just three months old in the country as British envoy said more about the relationship between his country and Nigeria in the exclusive interview we had with him.

How long have you been in Nigeria?

I have been here since December 2, last year.

Have you been enjoying your stay here?

Very much. It is a fascinating place. It is my second time in Nigeria. I was here from 1983 to 1986 as a young diplomat. My first posting was in Lagos, which was the capital then.

What aspect of Nigeria do you enjoy most?

Well, I think first of all, the contrast between Abuja and Lagos. I like comparing and contrasting. Abuja is very much the capital city; a planned city, a city of the north, the middle belt. And Lagos is an extraordinary metropolis. You know quite how big it is. It is commercial, organic and a seaport. So, the contrast is striking and it shows the different aspects of Nigeria.

How many states have you visited so far?

On this trip, I have been to Kaduna, I have been to Lagos and hope to be going soon to the east.

By road or by air?

Yes, by air. And probably, other states. I have been to Nasarawa but in four months, I haven’t been able to travel very much. There is enough I still want to see.

So, you have not been to Benin?

Not yet. Not on this trip. I had been there before. In fact, I will show you a bronze, which comes not from Benin City but from Ife. I had been all over the south when I first came here. I have been all over Ogun and Oyo, and I have been to Ibadan and Abeokuta. I have been to Benin City, Warrri and Port Harcourt, but there are many places I haven’t yet seen.

Which areas are your government currently cooperating with Nigeria?

There are a whole range of them. Let’s start with trade. Trade is one of the cooperations.

What is the volume of trade like?

We do about five billion pounds worth of trade on both sides. We do about two and half billion in export and about two and half billion in import. Actually, the trade balance is very close. And we have a target. We want to double bilateral trade from 2011, which was four billion and by 2014, it will bring it up to eight billion. So, we are doing five and half billion already.

What do you export and import?

We export petroleum products to Nigeria and import from Nigeria. We also export machinery equipment, power generation machinery and of course, we do a lot of retail and other things. And a lot of British companies are based here. What we also export, of course, is services: banking, financial, telecoms and other aspects. We have a lot of financial service interest in Nigeria from London.

How about other areas?

Well, we work together on the development agenda. The United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) will have a budget in the new financial year, two hundred and seventy million pounds. We do a lot of development cooperation on health, on education, on services-driven and children; on governance, on stability and reconciliation and a whole range of other things. It is a very broad and very interesting agenda. We cooperate on cultural terms in the British Council. The British Council is here with a lot of artistic collaboration. People study in the UK, but the British Council administers examinations and offers a lot of education services too. And I think it involves political sense too. And Nigeria is not only a major force in Africa, it is becoming more and more a major international player. Nigeria joins the United Nations (UN) Security Council in 2014. They will join in January next year.

Are you supporting us?

Yes. We will very much like to see Nigeria in the Security Council.

Politically, how are you cooperating with Nigeria?

Now?

Yes, because we have a lot of political issues.

Well, it depends on what you mean by political issues. If it is internally, that is very much Nigeria’s own agenda. For example, on regional issues like Mali, Nigeria took the early political lead. We support Nigeria’s stand and we have also physically helped Nigeria to transport troops for African Union-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMAL), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Peacekeeping Force. We also cooperate with Nigeria in other areas as well. We are working on ways of tackling terrorism in the north.

How far have you gone in that direction?

We have a long standing relationship with Nigeria security forces in general terms. Without going into too much detail, we work as closely as we can.

Do you have a particular budget to that effect?

We find the funds that we need.

How about the fight against corruption?

Corruption is a worrying thing. It distorts the economy, it damages Nigeria’s reputation and it deters investment at a time when all countries are looking for investment. So, that is an area that we are concerned about. And we make our concerns known, usually privately. That said, there are some evidences of Nigerian government looking to find ways to approach this. For example, pursuing fuel subsidy. That is an interesting area.

Are you supporting the government in that aspect?

Well, I mean, we are not supporting the government in a particular aspect. A lot of them are done by the Nigerian government itself. We have been very strongly supporting efforts to tackle corruption. So, we will be very interested to see an environment in which it is not just foreign companies, but domestic companies that can do clean, transparent and accountable business.

Would you say the Nigerian government is doing well in the fight against corruption?

I think it comes and goes. I think some of the things, you are doing well as I mentioned earlier like trying to improve budget transparency for example, trying to reform the ports, tackling fuel subsidy fraud. These are good and important things. I think there are other areas where it might do more. So, it is a mixed picture. I think the people of the country will like to see a more consistent and forward approach.

There were insinuations that your government would impose sanctions on Nigeria because of the state pardon granted former Bayelsa State governor. How true is that?

There is no question of sanctions. The former governor skipped bail in the UK on a charge of money laundering and returned to Nigeria. So, he has an outstanding charge in the UK, which is there for him to answer. So, our concern is partly with the charge against him in the UK.

Now the president has granted him pardon, how does the UK feel about it?

Well, it is something that we have discussed privately with many in the Nigerian government. It is seriously open to misinterpretation. So, I won’t say much than that at this stage because we have already discussed it and the Nigerian government knows our views. But we would like to see him return and answer to the charge in the UK.

Is there progress in that direction maybe in the form of his extradition to the UK to answer to the charge?

We have asked the Attorney General. He will tell us what his position is on extradition. I haven’t had a reply yet.

You are still waiting for them?

Yes. I think we asked in the past. I am very sure we asked in the past but I am not sure we got a formal response. So, we are still waiting for a formal response from the Nigerian government.

Suppose the government doesn’t give you a favorable response, would there be any action?

No. We are not yet retaliating against the Nigerian government at all. That is not how we do things. We would just like to see if it would be possible to get him back to answer the charge. But we would wait and see. We are pursuing our cause.
Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by ekoilee: 5:17am On Mar 28, 2013
Rubbish, they have extradition teaty with Nigeria so why not issue Interpol warrant and have him extradited to the UK. Abi how den nab ibori..?

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Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by Burger01(m): 5:39am On Mar 28, 2013
This man 'Alams' would remain a fugitive for the rest of his shameless life...and yet he got a national pardon...just what was GEJ thinking about? This 'Alams' doesn't deserve any pardon talkless of a national one... Of all your blunders Mr. President this sticks like a sore thumb. ...smhsad

2 Likes

Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by bigtt76(f): 5:43am On Mar 28, 2013
Next he would be appointed High Commissioner to the UK case go close hehehe

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Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by skyfall: 6:05am On Mar 28, 2013
They'll get the crook one day. I hope he has the long list of Britain's extradition partners (over 100) in his hand luggage everytime.

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Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by Nobody: 6:38am On Mar 28, 2013
what's the function of an an Interpol for fucck sake? they should come here and bundle him just as they do to criminals and give him the justice he fuccking deserves .what nonsense?
Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by Nobody: 7:13am On Mar 28, 2013
Unless the Brits enforce necessary international laws to arrest Alams,they may never get him because he's the godfather of the president of Nigeria and also warming up to become a senator of the federal republic of Nigeria.

Vagabonds are ruling Nigeria for now.
Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by Desola(f): 7:23am On Mar 28, 2013
Cunny Britisha government! They know what they are gaining from their oil importation from Nigeria under this corrupt government at the moment and are not willing to rock the boat just yet.

Any surprise why they didn't come out to show their disappointment when that dumb fisherman announced his pardon for his partner in crime? Even if it were only for eye service, the USA condemned the government but we didn't see this slimy British government do the same. Now they are telling us that they "think" they asked for extradition order. Now that the criminal is enabling them to buy oil at ridiculously low prices and nursing the militants to enable shell an unfettered access to the Delta oil, they are choosing a relaxed approach. Pshew!

Bloody partners in crime.

3 Likes

Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by Gbawe2: 7:50am On Mar 28, 2013
eko ilee: Rubbish, they have extradition teaty with Nigeria so why not issue Interpol warrant and have him extradited to the UK. Abi how den nab ibori..?

Ibori fled to Dubai and was arrested and extradited from there. Furthermore, Nigeria is one of the many Nations the UK does not have a direct and straightforward extradition treaty with.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Which_countries_do_not_have_extradition_treaties_with_the_United_Kingdom

1 Like

Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by iamswizz(m): 9:13am On Mar 28, 2013
alams for 2015!




He cannot hide forever! UK no be Naija.
Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by Lilimax(f): 9:13am On Mar 28, 2013
Gbawe.:


Ibori fled to Dubai and was arrested and extradited from there. Furthermore, Nigeria is one of the many Nations the UK does not have a direct and straightforward extradition treaty with.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Which_countries_do_not_have_extradition_treaties_with_the_United_Kingdom
Okay nah! UK should not forget that he has no case to answer any longer for he has been granted a presidential pardon.
Oga GEJ may stand in for him

1 Like

Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by Nobody: 9:14am On Mar 28, 2013
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Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by fasbat(m): 9:17am On Mar 28, 2013
Burger01: This man 'Alams' would remain a fugitive for the rest of his shameless life...and yet he got a national pardon...just what was GEJ thinking about? This 'Alams' doesn't deserve any pardon talkless of a national one... Of all your blunders Mr. President this sticks like a sore thumb. ...smhsad
watch out for d next NATIONAL AWARD NOMINATIONS,CON TO ALAMS!!!!!
Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by olempe(m): 9:21am On Mar 28, 2013
~Bluetooth:


Unless the Brits enforce necessary international laws to arrest Alams, they may never get him because he's the godfather of the president of Nigeria w.

He won't be for long...
Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by ifihearam: 9:23am On Mar 28, 2013
They should keep waiting ooo,and who tells them alams is interested in stepping his feet into UK? What if the president appoints him as an ambassador to the UK? Wetin dem o fit d ni?

1 Like

Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by gen2briz(m): 9:27am On Mar 28, 2013
And GEJ dont give a damm
Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by geek(m): 9:27am On Mar 28, 2013
Lilimax:
UK should not forget that he has no case to answer any longer for he has been granted a presidential pardon.

The UK money laundering charge is separate to what he was pardoned for in Nigeria.
Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by justwise(m): 9:30am On Mar 28, 2013
ifihearam: They should keep waiting ooo,and who tells them alams is interested in stepping his feet into UK? What if the president appoints him as an ambassador to the UK? Wetin dem o fit d ni?
His ambassadoral appointment will not be approved by the UK govt as he still has an outstanding criminal case in the UK

1 Like

Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by b0dnel: 9:31am On Mar 28, 2013
WHAT WILL ALAMS GO AND DO IN THE UK? These UK people are too fool of themselves. Was it no under their nose that Alams vanished? Have they brought all those Alams bribed to escape?
Alams is a thief and should be brought to book but I think they had him BUT LOST. Shame on you, UK
Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by eldoradoxx: 9:33am On Mar 28, 2013
Burger01: This man 'Alams' would remain a fugitive for the rest of his shameless life...and yet he got a national pardon...just what was GEJ thinking about? This 'Alams' doesn't deserve any pardon talkless of a national one... Of all your blunders Mr. President this sticks like a sore thumb. ...smhsad
I don't know why there is so much noise about the Alams pardon. Presidential pardon is granted to only persons who have commmited offence against the law and have been convicted and sentenced and served or serving their sentence. Alams fits into this, he was convicted, jailed(the only Governor to have gone to jail since Buhari's era). He had lost all the money he stole. Infact the hotel he bought for about 2 billion was taken from him etc. So what else was left if not pardon. Presidential pardon is like telling your child after serving a punishment you gave him that you love and stil care about him. If I were the president I would grant pardon to everyone who has served his term, let him go and start life afresh and become useful to the society again. On the issue of UK waiting for Alams, the High Commissioner should be well informed about issues before coming to press. The charge against Alams was that he stole public fund in Nigeria and illegally brought it to UK. Now, he had been convicted of the stealing and gone to jail and pardoned by the president. The implication is that he can't be tried again. The presidential pardon has now removed the illegality in the bringing of the money to UK (laundering) and by legal fiction, the money Alams brought to UK by reason of the pardon has become legitimate and cannot be subject to any criminal trial again anywhere. A case in example in Okah's trial and conviction in SA. If in the course of the trial, let's assume he was pardoned by the president of Nigeria, would the trial go on? No! Why? because the offence he committed was against Nigeria and if Nigeria represented by her president says there is no offence against her, what would the court be trying Okah for again.

3 Likes

Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by Pukkah: 9:35am On Mar 28, 2013
ifihearam: They should keep waiting ooo,and who tells them alams is interested in stepping his feet into UK? What if the president appoints him as an ambassador to the UK? Wetin dem o fit d ni?

Please stop shaming sane Nigerians with this kind of response. It's not compulsory that you show up on every thread.

Put party affiliation and tribal sentiments aside. What our President did by pardoning Alams is very shameful and a big blow to anti-corruption fight. It's embarassing enough. Stop adding to the injury.

Please keep quiet. There's no justification for the travesty.

You're not deriding the UK. You're only disgracing Nigeria.

Power is transient. Jonathan will leave one day. This injury is permanent. Please keep quiet.

9 Likes

Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by ebamma(m): 9:35am On Mar 28, 2013
Alams no go make that kind mistake go britain again, i no even sure say him go love travel go another country sef, make them no come arrest am give britain,
Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by tommykiwi(m): 9:36am On Mar 28, 2013
Make una no waste time dey wait for am for UK make una jus come Naija come carry am go
Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by Demdem(m): 9:37am On Mar 28, 2013
If the brits want him to face justice, retardeen mentor needs to be given the Dikko treatment. Crate his fat arse up to the island. Nigerian govt itself is corrupt, waiting for them is a waste of time.
Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by Scarpon(m): 9:38am On Mar 28, 2013
who is Alamieyeseigha:
Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by andyanders: 9:41am On Mar 28, 2013
Alam and GEJ are two partners in crime and cannot do without each other.It is better for you to stone both and allow a common robber in Nigeria to go home because they are better than pen robbers

1 Like

Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by justwise(m): 9:44am On Mar 28, 2013
eldoradoxx: I don't know why there is so much noise about the Alams pardon. Presidential pardon is granted to only persons who have commmited offence against the law and have been convicted and sentenced and served or serving their sentence. Alams fits into this, he was convicted, jailed(the only Governor to have gone to jail since Buhari's era). He had lost all the money he stole. Infact the hotel he bought for about 2 billion was taken from him etc. So what else was left if not pardon. Presidential pardon is like telling your child after serving a punishment you gave him that you love and stil care about him. If I were the president I would grant pardon to everyone who has served his term, let him go and start life afresh and become useful to the society again. On the issue of UK waiting for Alams, the High Commissioner should be well informed about issues before coming to press. The charge against Alams was that he stole public fund in Nigeria and illegally brought it to UK. Now, he had been convicted of the stealing and gone to jail and pardoned by the president. The implication is that he can't be tried again. The presidential pardon has now removed the illegality in the bringing of the money to UK (laundering) and by legal fiction, the money Alams brought to UK by reason of the pardon has become legitimate and cannot be subject to any criminal trial again anywhere. A case in example in Okah's trial and conviction in SA. If in the course of the trial, let's assume he was pardoned by the president of Nigeria, would the trial go on? No! Why? because the offence he committed was against Nigeria and if Nigeria represented by her president says there is no offence against her, what would the court be trying Okah for again.
He will still be arrested in the UK if he travels. The money laundry offense was committed in the UK, he was arrested, detained and he jumped bail, he still has a case to answer, ibor was let free by Nigeria Govt but was arrested in Dubai, brought back to the UK and jailed for the same case he was let-off by Nigeria Govt. So your analysis doesn't quite add-up

3 Likes

Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by Pukkah: 9:45am On Mar 28, 2013
Many people say the leadership in Nigeria is the problem.

But from some covertly pro-corruption comments here, isn't it obvious that the followership is as much of a problem?

How can anyone justify the pardon just because the loot or hotel was retrieved? Eh? Where is the deterrent then? Is this how to build a just, stable and safe society?

The more they try to justify the needless and shameful pardon, the more they reflect their innate corrupt tendencies.

1 Like

Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by Pukkah: 9:46am On Mar 28, 2013
Griffint: Na by force to go to UK? They should keep waiting.

If 'they keep waiting', who is the loser - the UK or Nigeria?

SMH
Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by fkaz(m): 9:50am On Mar 28, 2013
Alam will be force to patronise our national hospital because, Even if Alam get cancer of eyes he no go near UK

1 Like

Re: Alamieyeseigha: Still Wanted In The UK - Envoy by phemybof(m): 9:50am On Mar 28, 2013
fasbat: watch out for d next NATIONAL AWARD NOMINATIONS,CON TO ALAMS!!!!!
may god help him to misbehave by fly to UK by himsef.i beliv he wil be given 32yrs impresiment wt hardest working. May god let it be,so it wil pple like AKALA,OYINLOLA,DANIEL,BANKOLE,TAFA,.......

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