FORMER chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Chief Bode George, who was jailed during the week, is fast adjusting to life in prison.

Impeccable sources close to the Maximum Prison, Lagos, told Saturday Tribune that the former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had started to observe various rules in the prison.

The source said since since he was brought to the prison, he had been allocated to a room where he now sleeps on a double-bunk bed with a fan. The source, however, refused to disclose the room number for “security reasons.”

According to our source, Chief George now takes his bath everyday in one of the bathrooms in the cell which he shares with the Chief Security Officer to a former Head of State, Major Hamza al-Mustapha.

It was gathered that though he was in high spirit following daily visits by members of the PDP, he developed high-blood pressure the day after he was brought to the prison.

He was said to have had a history of diabetes and the source said he came to the prison with his medication.

The source said the high-blood pressure had continued to be monitored by prison officials.

It was learnt that officials of the prison granted him the privilege of eating foods brought to him by his family members based on his status, as the source said in a normal situation, he was not allowed to eat any food except one provided by the prison.

Saturday Tribune also gathered that the decision of some leaders of thought and chieftains of the PDP in the South West to have virtually turned the prison yard into a political arena since Tuesday had made officials of the prison to do extra works.

Another top prison source who craved anonymity said that except the embattled PDP chieftain asked his people to reduce their visits to the prison, he and the others might be moved out of Lagos.

Some employees of the NPA were alleged to take delight in the current travails of Chief George.

Aside from the allegations that he misappropriated the funds of the Federal Government parastatal during his tenure as the chairman of the board of directors, he was said to be responsible for the termination of the appointments of about 10,000 workers of the organisation.

Another source who begged not to be named stated that some NPA employees and stakeholders had expressed displeasure at the guilty verdicts handed Alhaji Aminu Dabo and one Mr. Abidoye, other members of the board.

Meanwhile, insider sources within the Lagos State chapter of the PDP have said that nobody knew the roles of the immediate past president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in Chief George’s travails.

The sources disclosed, however, that some powerful delegates, who were mainly mutual friends of Chief Obasanjo and Chief George, had been dispatched to the latter’s farm at Ota, Ogun State, to plead with him on the possibilities of using his connections in the corridors of power.

The sources said it was yet unclear if the embattled PDP chieftain from Lagos State is also in good terms with Chief Tony Anenih, a former Minister of Works, who is said to be equally close to the former president during his eight-year tenure.

Meanwhile, prison sources have denied that the authorities were planning to allocate prison uniforms to Chief George and the others.

The denial came on the heels of a newspaper publications during the week that the politician and his “co-travellers” would soon be given prison uniforms and numbers.

In a related development, Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on Friday fixed Monday, November 9, for the hearing of the bail application filed by counsel for Chief George and the others convicted along with him.

The convicts had filed a joint application, dated October 28, 2009.

The six counsels, led by Chief Tunji Ayanlaja (SAN) and Mr. Dele Adesina (SAN), who defended the case, claimed that the respondent, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), had been served with the application.

Counsel for EFCC, Mr. Festus Keyamo, admitted before the court that he had received the application, but claimed that it was at different times and with different affidavits by each counsel.

Consequently, Keyamo demanded for three days each to respond to the six applications, but was overruled by the court.

Giving a reason for his request, Keyamo said that he got George’s applications on Wednesday and the last filing on Thursday night and had to request for time to respond.

While Chief Ayanlaja appealed for leniency in the matter, Adesina said it was possible for Keyamo to operate on Saturday and Sunday to respond to all the applications.

Considering the stand of all parties involved and other challenges, Justice Oyewole urged all the parties to exchange all necessary documents within a week.

The court ruled that hearing of the application would commence on Monday, November 9.




http://www.tribune.com.ng/31102009/news/news1.html

Why is it that, when a corrupt leader is held in Nigerian prison, they tend to give excuses of ill health?. We all saw what Bro. Alams did the other day in Court room. We cant forget in a hurry, how Mr. Fire-for-Fire refused to come out from the 504 Peugeot Station wagon, which led to his being dragged by a junior officer. My joy is, the system they refused to put in order while in Public office, is beginning to hunt each and everyone of them. The title for this is called, NEMESIS.

It is of good thing, that the rich also cry in Nigeria. That is the beginning of justice, to all corrupt officials, both retired and serving. NEMESIS.

MORE TROUBLES FOR BODE GEORGE
•Enjoys only 2 hrs electricity in prison
•Bail application to wait till Nov 9

By CHIOMA IGBOKWE and DENNIS UGBUDIAN
Saturday, October 31, 2009



More Stories on This Section
It is not the best of time for former Deputy National Chairman (South) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, who was jailed on Monday for alleged fraud while he was chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

Saturday Sun gathered that the politicians is not having it easy in his current abode, inside the Kirikiri Maximum prison, Kirikiri, Lagos, even though he is in a special cell.

Sources in the prison revealed that George is suffering owing to heat occasioned by erratic power supply. It was learnt when there is cut in electricity supply, which is frequent, the power generator in the prison is put on at 4am and switched off at 6am. Under such condition, the jailed politicians can not sleep.

Saturday Sun gathered that respite only comes the way of George when his political associates visithim during the day. Such associates are said to offer him their handkerchiefs to mop up sweat as well as fan him with newspapers.

It was also gathered that George has opted to wear his personal clothes instead of prison uniform. Our source revealed that after wearing the dress he wore to court on Monday for another two days, George has been changing into new ones since Wednesday.
A source at Kirikiri Prison said that George has the option of wearing his personal clothes if he does not want prison uniform. “

Apart from rejecting the prison uniform, Saturday Sun also gathered that George has shunned the food served in prison. It was gathered that his wife daily brings him food twice.
Meanwhile, political associates of George converge on his cell daily, where he holds meeting with them. So far, there is no restriction to his cell, especially as the visitors usually tip prison warders.
Speaking on how George is coping in prison, one of his associates and a former gubernatorial aspirant in Lagos, said that the politician was strong.

He confirmed that the PDP chieftain is being given a royal treatment in prison. According to him, “he is well dressed and no one can change that. How on earth do you expect him to wear a dress meant for criminals? We are already in court and in no distant time, he will smell freedom.”

On why George is not eating the prison meal, even if it is to have a feel of it, he said: “God forbid! I do visit him every other day and on two occasions I was there when his wife brought in his food.”
He said that George is not bothered about his predicament, as he always told his visitors not to worry about him. He revealed that George told his visitors that there is no big deal being in Kirikiri, as prison has become “an institution every politician must pass though to come out strong and formidable.”

The former guber aspirant said that while George assures them that he would regain freedom soon, following his appeal, he urged PDP faithful to be “strong and focused as this is a ploy by their number one enemy (Bola Tinubu) to destabilize the party.”

On why they are fingering Tinubu in the matter, he said: “Take a close look at the cases handled by the same judge, and then you will understand what I am talking about.”
Saturday Sun gathered that George never believed he would end up in prison on Monday. It was gathered that while he was coming to court he had lined up other activities.
One of the aides said: “Before we went to court, we had agreed that after the court’s ruling, we would proceed to the island for a meeting on the way forward for PDP in Lagos.”

PRO spoke
When contacted, the Nigerian Prisons Service public relations officer, Mr. Ope Fatinikun, said that imprisonment does not mean punishment. He said that it was rather a way to reposition convicts back to normal life.

“That process is applicable to all other prisoners as long as the court that convicted him said that he should be remanded in the prisons,” he said.

Asked why some people get VIP treatment in prison, especially the elite in the society, Ope said: “We do not give VIP treatment in the prison; what we have is known as classification of convicts. There is no way you would place armed robbers with a pickpocket. When the like of the late Moshood Abiola was in prison, there was no way I could have placed him with a pickpocket. Classification is the only process given to protect everybody. We are there to protect the high and the mighty.”

On why Bode George was still wearing his personal clothes instead of the prison uniform, Ope said: “Prison uniform is meant for everybody under the Nigerian Prison Service. The way it works is that within 24 hours, the inmate is expected to appear before the reception board that laid down the rules and regulation guiding the prison. It must be done after 24 hours.”

When told that George has a bag of personal clothes in his cell, he described such rumour as scandalous, stating that if there was such it must be from NGOs, churches or humanitarian organizations that visit the prisons on a daily basis.

Prison warders’ lamentation
Meanwhile, some of the prison warders, who spoke with Saturday Sun, said that preferential treatment would continue in the prisons, as they benefit from it. He said that since government does not take good care of them, prison officers survive on tip they get from VIPs in jail.

A warder said: “The government protects the interest of the inmates more than those who cater for them. If there is fraud in the prisons, then that is because we are being neglected and paid stipend at the end of the day. We only learnt in the papers that the Federal Government has consolidated our salaries and till date we are yet to see the money. Government approved that for every shift duty, warders should be paid N4000, but you will be surprised that they give us N1, 000. Those at the helm of affairs spend the money and tell us stories.

“We have families to cater for. We have to make use of every opportunity at hand to survive; that is why the like of Bode George would continue to have their way.”

The surge of visitors for George
In the past five days, visitors start lining up for George as early as 8am. The makeshift reception opposite the prison yard is always busting to its seams with visitors, both the rich and the poor. The number of the state-of-the-art vehicles packed in virtually every available space indicates the calibre of visitors.
Saturday Sun gathered that many of the sympathizers come from far and near. Many, however, are from Ogun and Oyo states. Some of the visitors come with food and drinks for George. Some of these end up with the warders.

To see Bode George was not only competitive but a struggle, as visitors queue up to write their names under the watchful eyes of the prisons officers. A man in his mid-40s had a shouting match with the prison officers on Thursday for asking him to wait for a while before putting down his name.
“What does he think he is, by the way? He has been telling me to wait and wait, and I have been waiting. For how long shall I wait? He shouldn’t keep me here all day because I won’t take it,” he fumed.
The prison officer, known as Alika, replied and said that the man cannot teach him how to do his job. Eventually, the warders arranged that five persons should go in at a time to see George. It was this arrangement that put paid to every trouble.

The waiting game was another episode as it generated all manner of discussions among the visitors. A young man simply called Yemi and his friends said that George was framed up, adding that he was not supposed to be convicted for what he knew nothing about. They swore that Tinubu and some Action Congress (AC) stalwarts had a hand in his trial.

Hear Yemi: “Chief Bode George, to me, did not embezzle the money they convicted him for. I am very sure that Tinubu and Co have a hand in this. Anyway, it is one of those things. I am sure that by the time this problem is over, it will even make the PDP more popular and stronger.”
Some journalists, who disguised to get some information on George’s prison experience were unfortunate as they were discovered and chased away.

George way to prison
George, a retired Naval Commodore, was found guilty of 46 out of the 48 charges, over his activities as chairman of the NPA board. Justice Olubunmi Oyewole said that George and others were guilty as charged over N1billion contract scam as NPA board members.



http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/newsonthehour/2009/oct/31/newsbreak-31-10-2009-001.html

Bode george should be treated like fellow inmates. I heard Al mustapha is a gay so he will babe George. Let BG be given his prison uniform, badge and num as identity. Rev King can pay him frequent visit too

Bode George, if you are ready to share the loots, I can give you someone that will help serve the term. It will only cost you 10 Ghana-must-go bags!. Please call 090-98563456. I am expecting your call please! .

Oboma1:

Bode George, if you are ready to share the loots, I can give you someone that will help serve the term. It will only cost you 10 Ghana-must-go bags!. Please call 090-98563456. I am expecting your call please! .

Na wah oh!. Is that how to collect your own share? Anyway, come and pay tithe to me when the deal is done.

Enjoyment1:

Na wah oh!. Is that how to collect your own share? Anyway, come and pay tithe to me when the deal is done.

`


What do you want me to say again. The rot in this country is increasing daily and not showing any form of abating. I weep for Naija!

Poster, do you want to join him?

Oboma1:

`


What do you want me to say again. The rot in this country is increasing daily and not showing any form of abating. I weep for Naija!

`


There is no point weeping, GOD will make us meet our turning point someday. Then, people will pay for every sin còmmitted against this blessed nation. It will happen very soon. It might not be this generation, but surely, it will.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . He revealed that George told his visitors that there is no big deal being in Kirikiri, as prison has become[b] “an institution every politician must pass though to come out strong and formidable.”[/b]

PRO spoke
When contacted, the Nigerian Prisons Service public relations officer, Mr. Ope Fatinikun, said that imprisonment does not mean punishment. He said that it was rather a way to reposition convicts back to normal life.  

“That process is applicable to all other prisoners as long as the court that convicted him said that he should be remanded in the prisons,” he said.


On why Bode George was still wearing his personal clothes instead of the prison uniform, Ope said: “Prison uniform is meant for everybody under the Nigerian Prison Service. The way it works is that within 24 hours, the inmate is expected to appear before the reception board that laid down the rules and regulation guiding the prison. It must be done after 24 hours.”

When told that George has a bag of personal clothes in his cell, he described such rumour as scandalous, stating that if there was such it must be from NGOs, churches or humanitarian organizations that visit the prisons on a daily basis.

George way to prison
George, a retired Naval Commodore, was found guilty of 46 out of the 48 charges, over his activities as chairman of the NPA board. Justice Olubunmi Oyewole said that George and others were guilty as charged over N1billion contract scam as NPA board members.

how many years has he spent in jail to warrant this headline, pls come back with the report after he has served 12 months. thanx

mr bode george, accept your fate, dont worry, two years is not long and you will be free again. To better your stay in the prison, i will advise you to instruct your families to buy generator which will serve the whole prison, buy new beds and mattreses for the whole prison , just make the prison life comfortable for the whole prisoners as you will want for yourself. since the court didnt ask you to refund the loot, you can use part of it for the above mentioned prjects. if you feel you cant afford the cost of the project, you can ask to be transffered to a smaller prison where you can easily do that.

you can then, use your gray hair to preach to the prisoners to change their ways and be good people.

if you do these, you can call for your parole in after 6 months and you stand the chance of being released.

and when you get out of the prison, join the anti-corruption campaign - both in words and actions

is that too difficult?

Play play dey don dey give am office there, this one dey don dey make there comfortable to him. After 6months shaa, we will know. Mustapher na landlord there now hhaaa hhhaaaa

sley4life:

Bode george should be treated like fellow inmates. I heard Al mustapha is a gay so he will babe George. Let BG be given his prison uniform, badge and num as identity. Rev King can pay him frequent visit too

I no fit laugh

NuhuRibadu:

mr bode george, accept your fate, dont worry, two years is not long and you will be free again. To better your stay in the prison, i will advise you to instruct your families to buy generator which will serve the whole prison, buy new beds and mattreses for the whole prison , just make the prison life comfortable for the whole prisoners as you will want for yourself. since the court didnt ask you to refund the loot, you can use part of it for the above mentioned prjects. if you feel you cant afford the cost of the project, you can ask to be transffered to a smaller prison where you can easily do that.

you can then, use your gray hair to preach to the prisoners to change their ways and be good people.

if you do these, you can call for your parole in after 6 months and you stand the chance of being released.

and when you get out of the prison, join the anti-corruption campaign - both in words and actions

is that too difficult?

oga prison na still prison shikena and as per joining anti-corruption, that on no go happen.
that old fox is too corrupt to change.
.

Saturday Sun gathered that respite only comes the way of George when his political associates visithim during the day. Such associates are said to offer him their handkerchiefs to mop up sweat as well as fan him with newspapers.

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA, LOL, make una no kill me with laff abeg,

Ehennnnnnnnnnnnnnn bode will die dis is just the beginning of his surffing.this is the result of wickedness he is full when obasanjo was using him he did not use number now where is the obasanjo?look the case of Ibori and obasanjo Ibori use his number when he was in power with obasanjo that is why obasanjo is using EFCC to threaten Ibori. the same thing with Ribadu .

;d

now what did he go to prison for. looking at the judge, they said he was not involve or did they find money on him or did he recieve kick back. please place the judge online.

becomrich,:

now what did he go to prison for. looking at the judge, they said he was not involve or did they find money on him or did he recieve kick back. please place the judge online.

Google Map it!

how i wish say pdp members dey read all this things, all pdp members will burn in hell for giving us a terrible life like this.

He should look for M scofield to break him out, as for his compains, it wont work, 2 years he must stay

Leave him,let him flex in dat prison. 4rm d description,d prison looks lyk a typical NYSC orientation camp.He z surely gonna enjoy it. Bode George,keep on flexing!

becomrich,:

now what did he go to prison for. looking at the judge, they said he was not involve or did they find money on him or did he recieve kick back. please place the judge online.

hehehe

Never heard of this bozo.
Must be another nigerian.

why is it that they must have one or two medical history, abegi tell the prison warder to call iya alagbo for him, he should start to learn how to buy agbo inside the prison and also eat prison food. Abi him get 60heads??

Lol. . .

pdp and nigeria, God save ooo

whats all the noise about BG. he i no better than any of the common criminals, he commited a crime and he shld be allowed tp serve his time like any other person wld. all this preference they give him shld be scrapped if they want to be fair. he shld wear the regular prison cloth, eat what other prisoners eat and get visits only on normal visiting days and time. if not the sentence will only be a joke and there will be no lesson learnt.

The prison officials should get ready to arrest any PDP member visiting him
I think when they were all arrested, it will be better they form another innate party called

"Rogues in Prison Party" REV. KING WILL BE THE CHAIRMAN BOARD OF TRUSTEE