mikeansy:

Please was Ibori fighting the ND course or fighting OBJ's 3rd term plot when he was convicted for shop-lifting?

I think I should have no time for a washed up shop lifter

Good question

reh reh reh
Ibori,you and your PR goons can mount an orchestrated media campaign to launder your imagine,malign Ribadu,win public sympathy but I assure you,only a very few gullible ones will actually be fooled and nemesis will soon catch up with you.

Woe betide you and your co-looters for raping the treasury of Delta state of funds in excess of 400 billion naira,you will surely burn in HELL

What kind of country is this. Who is decieving who now.

If Ibori comes out to contest an election tomorrow he will win.


Reason? In this country we dont vote our leaders, they are imposed on us by the few power brokers in this country.

We are overdue for a revolution, simple!

I wonder what can kind of a country allowed a devil like Yaradua to rule.

It is only because nigerians love corruption that they are being ruled by corrupt people.

The leaders know why they lead and what those who put them there want.

It is a Godless society indeed! Is it surprising that ungodly things happen to these people?

Ibori did not bother proving that he isn't a convicted felon. But what does that say of the rest of the PDP? When people say they are all theives and birds of a feather are they not proven right? Which innocent man will hear of such an association and will not immediately shout out to protect his hard earned integrity?

No we are aware of what kind of people infest PDP. Its just a shame that Ibori will use ill gotten loot to buy media time through his paper and that of his fellow 'kin' like Orji Kalu of sun news.

presido1:

Which comment of mine doesn't make sense yet you are thanking me.
Embarrassing myself cuz i made it clear to you that OBJ and His Gang(Ribadu Inclusive) failed. Hahahaha irrespective of the population yesterday should not be better than tomorrow is a progressive society. Who said so about the highlighted? Are u for real?

Is this about OBJ now?

presido1:

That was in his manifesto, Go and look out for it and clarify yourself.
Its only in Nigeria that design cost more than the project.
I will be grateful if at all you have something to educate me on.
It has gone down to 50% or more. Not 70% as stated earlier. Nigerians and shifting of goal post. Sometimes i don't blame the looters cuz they know that some of us will go to any length to support them.
which law makers? Do we have law makers? Dude stop fooling yourself pls.
Just like you have been doing all along.
In a decent country any project has a time frame and if the contractor fails to deliver it attaract heavy fine from the contractors. Even if they procurement is coming from the sun.

The design is still on after 10 years. Did the two yrs increase in our population effect the design?. Nothing i won't hear in this NL. Its only Nigeria that is increasing in population.

Desperate measures.

If you don't understand the percentages quoted say so and I will still break it down for you.

I never contradicted myself as regards 50% or 70%.

Stating that you can spend 70% of both time and money without anything to show on ground on a typical EPC project does not mean that stating that Engineering (which is just 1 out of the 3 components that make up the project) may take up to 50% is wrong.

Are you really educated at all because the level of comprehension here is really abysmal to say the least.

One last thing, are you really sure you know what you are saying by claiming that OBJ promised light for all by the year 2000 in his manifesto? Are you aware that the power projects were initiated at least 4 years after OBJ was sworn in and that the expected completion date was after 2007 which makes the issue of failed project a non issue since the project time frame has not been exceeded?

The level of reasoning you are displaying here is rather shocking and very unfortunate.

Enjoy the rest of the day.

This kind of thing can only happen in Naija, a criminal defending his LOOT. What message are we passing on to the youths?[color=#000099][/color]

IT IS A WELL KNOWN FACT THAT JAMES ONANEFE IBORI WAS A MILLIONAIRE BEFORE HE BECAME THE GOVERNOR OF DELTA,EVEN THOUGH STORIES ABOUND THAT HE MADE HIS WEALTH FROM THE INFAMOUS DICTATOR,LATE GEN.SANNI ABACHA,THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT HE SHOULD OWN UP,WE ALL KNOW HOW HE LOOTED OUR STATE TREASURY AND UP TILL NOW THE SATE IS STILL BLEEDING FROM HIS LOOTING.THESE CONFIRMED PEN ROBBERS STILL HAVE THE EFFRONTERY TO DISTORT FACTS AND ISSUES PRESS STATEMENT WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN LANGUISHING IN JAIL ALL BECAUSE THEY ARE FRIENDS TO OUR SICKLY AND SLUGGISH PRESIDENT WHO DECIDED TO TURN HIS FACE THE OTHER WAY.
WHETHER RIBADU WAS WAS CLEAN OR NOT IS NOT THE ISSUES HERE BUT THE FACT THAT WHOSOEVER IS CAUGHT SHOULD BE MADE TO FACE THE FULL WRATH OF THE LAW!.PEHARPS RIBADU WAS CLEVER ENOUGH TO COVER HIS TRACKS,IBORI AND HIS COHORTS SHOULD HIDE HIS HEAD IN SHAME AND AS A MATTER OF FACT STOP ISSUING PRESS STATEMENT BECAUSE HE IS NOTHING BUT A COMMON CRIMINAL!.

You all should know better than to take the Sun Newspaper serious. That is one of the most incredible news papers in the world.

It is owned and run by a corrupt ex-governor who has criminal allies that he supports. You would never read any incriminating news against people like Ibori, Odili, Igbinedion etc in the sun newspaper.

If the sun newspaper is the only paper in the stands on any given they, I would rather not read anything at all.

Its so blatantly biased(against truth) that its sickening.

They will not get away with the criminality. It shall surely come to pass.

@Afam

Its very clear now that you have nothing to offer. You can't defend OBJ ,Egwu, and Ribadu while you nail Ibori and Others. Am nothing defending anybody rather am saying all of them are criminals which is very very clear to every right thinking Nigerian.

Why we will remain stagnant is cuz of the action of few who defends/celebrate those criminals that give them some change. Call a spade a spade and we will get rid of all of them. If we keep on singing praises to those that are dragging backward we won't make any head way.

Ibori, Obj, Egwu, Udenwa, Bode, Ribadu, Elrufai, Ibb, and many others are in the same category(Looters) take it or not. Am done with this.

pyno:

IT IS A WELL KNOWN FACT THAT JAMES ONANEFE IBORI WAS A MILLIONAIRE BEFORE HE BECAME THE GOVERNOR OF DELTA,EVEN THOUGH STORIES ABOUND THAT HE MADE HIS WEALTH FROM  THE INFAMOUS DICTATOR,LATE GEN.SANNI ABACHA,[b]THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT HE SHOULD OWN UP,WE ALL KNOW HOW HE LOOTED OUR STATE TREASURY AND UP TILL NOW THE SATE IS STILL BLEEDING FROM HIS LOOTING.[/b]THESE CONFIRMED PEN ROBBERS STILL HAVE THE EFFRONTERY TO DISTORT FACTS AND ISSUES PRESS STATEMENT WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN LANGUISHING IN JAIL ALL BECAUSE THEY ARE FRIENDS TO OUR SICKLY AND SLUGGISH PRESIDENT WHO DECIDED TO TURN HIS FACE THE OTHER WAY.
WHETHER RIBADU WAS WAS CLEAN OR NOT IS NOT THE ISSUES HERE BUT THE FACT THAT WHOSOEVER IS CAUGHT SHOULD BE MADE TO FACE THE FULL WRATH OF THE LAW!.PEHARPS RIBADU WAS CLEVER ENOUGH TO COVER HIS TRACKS,IBORI AND HIS COHORTS SHOULD HIDE HIS HEAD IN SHAME AND AS A MATTER OF FACT STOP ISSUING PRESS STATEMENT BECAUSE HE IS NOTHING BUT A COMMON CRIMINAL!.

In reference to the highlighted part, that is why the whole Niger delta and Mend Kidnapping thing is very annoying.
If they want to be taken seriously and supported, they should go for their ex-governors that looted the area dry and make them pay for the ills.
Then the whole world would know that they are sincere and not self-seeking criminals too as they appear currently .

@ Otukpo,Presido 1 & d Likes
I used to hate Ribadu in d OBJ time 4 selective prosecution but I cant but pray 4 God 2 protect and preserve him for d impending revolution.Like I always say Ribadu,like most of us(Nigerians) wasnt/isnt perfect.But hw can some1 phatom out d fact dat IBORI,OBJ,IGBIN,ODILI,NYAME,TURAKI etc havin trillions of public Naira mising inbtw dem ar walkin free and d new EFCC is now chasin deptors and protestors.What Ibori,4 instance stole frm Delta state in 8 years is enough to transform Delta state in2 Abuja standard but Ibori now speaks 4 Govt and dey never deny him.If u guys are saying Ribadu too may b corrupt,I agree wit u dat is not impossible but if u guys are saying Ibori shuld b left alone den I know u ar just d new recruits 4 d Corruption AKA Ibori and I can assure u,u ar up against tough game.What all and sundry shuld b campaining 4 now is comprehensive and honest prosecution of all looters(4 God sake we know all of dem) by Yaradul govt and he shuld just stop haboring theives and mumuin around, God plz kill all d theives and make us a happy people again!

Ibori is a liar! Tell me how Ribadu can unsit Yar'adua. Abeg amnot interested in reading thru his lies

@Beaf

Quote from: citizenY on Yesterday at 05:57:21 PM

T[b]his Ibori is insulting our sensibilities and I blame MEND and all ND youths and elders,

especially the youths in his village. But then, there are many other Ibori's across the

land. I blame all of us for allowing these characters to get any public space or respite.


All "tribalist" fools talk like this. May God punish you and your offspring.


Truth is very bitter and i have not restricted my blames to ND and MEND , i blamed all of us.

I know it is not comfortable having affiliation to a crook but when we have tasted from his largesse or wished we were in his shoes,i we should all be worried. I am not sorry for saying things as they are.

BEAF , IF YOU FEEL SO BAD ABOUT IT, PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS--- find d man wey chop ya money and deal with him. May God bless you and your offspring and give you the courage to accept the truth , AMEN[/b]

Ibori & his PR's are just plain silly, we nigerians are not stupid, ibori has not denied looting delta, has he?,
Whilst I dont think Ribadu is a saint, he fought corruption in nigeria, whether for his own selfish reason, doing OBj bidding or Ethnic reasons,
What I dont understand is the $15 Million bribe that has been deposited with the CBN, Both Camps, EFCC, Ibori & Ribadu all agree that the money was deposited  with CBN by Ribadu, All agreed,
Can someone please explain this , 
1.IF Ibori offered Ribadu $15 Million bribe and he deposited with CBN as evidence to prosecute him with, It is either Ribadu is worth more $100 Million to refuse such a $15million bribe,  If as Ibori stated that Ribadu wants the IG position , Is the IG position > $15 million cash or enough reason to refuse the bribe, or Is Ribadu Honest ?

2. Or did Ribadu just deposit that money $15million to plant as evidence against Ibori,  Where did he get that Kind of cash from, if we believe Rueben Abati, and others that have seen ribadu recently there is no indication of one with wealth.
http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/editorial_opinion/article02//indexn2_html?pdate=220209&ptitle=I%20Saw%20Ribadu%20In%20Rwanda

presido1:

@Afam

Its very clear now that you have nothing to offer. You can't defend OBJ ,Egwu, and Ribadu while you nail Ibori and Others. Am nothing defending anybody rather am saying all of them are criminals which is very very clear to every right thinking Nigerian.

Why we will remain stagnant is cuz of the action of few who defends/celebrate those criminals that give them some change. Call a spade a spade and we will get rid of all of them. If we keep on singing praises to those that are dragging backward we won't make any head way.

Ibori, Obj, Egwu, Udenwa, Bode, Ribadu, Elrufai, Ibb, and many others are in the same category(Looters) take it or not. Am done with this.

And now you have turned the issue to Afam defending OBJ, Egwu and Ribadu?

Don't you have any shame?

Anytime your ignorance is exposed you jump into another matter entirely.

I have stated facts concerning the power issue which obviously you knew very little about as you effortlessly swallowed every nonsense you read online.

If asked to comment on OBJ trust me I will have a lot to put down from good things he did to bad things he did while in office. I will not manufacture a lie to prove that OBJ did anything bad. That is where I have issues with Nigerians who do not mind twisting and lying about things just to blame someone.

You can continue to embarrass yourself by jumping from one issue to another but one thing I will tell you is this - I try to find out facts from all the information and misinformation going around instead of believing everything coming out of the media.

Think. Think. Use your head. Don't allow politicians or media houses to think for you.

I think everyone should read this before we continue to comment on Ribadu and Iboris` media war. This article will give us a better understanding of Ribadu`s personality.


Sunday, February 22, 2009               

I Saw Ribadu In Rwanda
By Reuben Abati

I RAN into him at the reception lobby of the Hotel Des Milles Collines in Kigali. He had just arrived and was trying to check into the hotel: Nuhu Ribadu, the erstwhile Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission who lost his job under rather controversial circumstances, and who is regarded as having been unfairly treated by the Yar'Adua government. I hugged him. He had lost nothing of his humility, his sense of humour and his humanity. He didn't look like a man who had just been rough-tackled by the unpredictable Nigerian state whose moral compass is subject solely to the whims and caprices of whoever is in charge, and not necessarily principles and values.

The following morning, we sat together on the same long table, and I slipped a note to him. I wanted an interview with him for The Guardian. It is about time he told his story at great length. He read my note, and picked up his pen. I noticed that he is a Southpaw, and I chuckled remembering how so many southpaws tend to find themselves in the hot corners of history. In his response, he had said "we would discuss." We were both attending a conference organised by UNECA in collaboration with UNDP to assess the efficiency and impact of anti-corruption institutions in Africa. There were anti-corruption chiefs in attendance from various African countries.

Ribadu wouldn't grant an interview, but he was ready to discuss. "I think it is better for me to remain silent now", he says. "I am using this period to reflect on what we did. You know when I took up the job in 2003, I resolved that I will try my utmost best. And walahi, I tried. I took the assignment seriously. Maybe I failed, but at least we proved that it is possible. So, I have been thinking and trying to figure out what further should have been done or could have been done differently." We were soon asked to introduce ourselves. When it was Ribadu's turn, he told the meeting: "I am Nuhu Ribadu, former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of Nigeria, currently recuperating from a bloodied nose". The hall cracked into laughter. But the other anti-corruption chiefs and operatives would not laugh later when Ribadu took part in a country case studies panel.

There has been so much speculation about Ribadu's whereabouts in the Nigerian press. But the fact is that he is currently a Senior Fellow at St Antony's College in Oxford University in the United Kingdom, working with Professor Paul Collier, the leading authority on African economies and politics. St Antony's College has become the sanctuary for many progressives who get into trouble in the developing world. Ribadu stays in a residence that was recently vacated by Anwal Ibrahim, the embattled former Prime Minister of Malaysia whose only offence was that he fell out of favour with his boss, Mahathir Muhammed. "Such a nice man", Ribadu says. "he left me his plates and cutlery and kitchen utensils." One of the persons Ribadu met on arrival at St Antony's is John Githongo, the Kenyan newspaper columnist and anti-corruption campaigner who had to flee from Kenya in 2005, after he discovered that the majorly corrupt persons in the country are his own colleagues: Ministers and the big men of Kenyan society. Githongo got their confessions on tape, but they told him bluntly that they are the ones milking Kenya dry. One fateful day, Githongo packed his bags and fled to London, from where he sent a letter resigning his position as Permanent Secretary for Ethics and Governance in Kibaki's NARC Government. He has now returned to Kenya where he enjoys massive media and civil society support, and his book, written by Michela Wrong and titled It's Our Turn To Eat will be released in London on February 23. It will go on sale in Nairobi the same day.

Unlike Githongo, Ribadu did not run away immediately he discovered that he had fallen out of favour. He stayed and tried to fight the system. He was sidelined and sent to a course he didn't ask for in Kuru near Jos. Behind his back, they gave his job to someone else, without regard to the security of tenure. Then, they demoted him in what looked like a routine administrative exercise, but the political undertones were writ large. When he tried to resist the system, they shoved him out of the graduation hall at Kuru, and his employers, the Police sent him to Siberia: what Nigerians would call the Ogbugbuaja treatment. Ribadu got lawyers and again tried to fight back. He refused to report for duty. He refused to wear the uniform of the new rank.

One day, assassins trailed him and pumped bullets into his car. Having served in the Nigeria Police for more than two decades, he could spot a warning shot if one was fired in his direction. So, Ribadu succumbed to the logic of Bob Marley's lyrics: "He who fights and runs away, will live to fight another day." He is not likely to come anywhere Nigeria for a while. Those who do not like his face and his work have effectively driven him out of town. But he is a determined man. "What has happened to me is just a temporary setback", he concludes. "I am a fighter, I don't give up. I don't believe the people who think they have dealt with me will have the last laugh."

Like Githongo, Ribadu is spending his period in exile to think and write. "I am working on two books", he told me. The working title for the first book is "The Problem of Corruption in Africa: The Nigerian Experience." He explained: "You know corruption is the biggest problem we have in Africa. It is so central to the problems we have. But to fight corruption, the biggest man in government, the President or the Prime Minister must be honest about it. That is where it starts. Americans talk about Obama. We need change in Nigeria more than America does. What I discovered is that we have a challenge to give power to ordinary Nigerians, to ordinary people, to take it from the politicians. And we don't have time. Change is important." He didn't have a working title for his proposed second book. But he offered an outline of its posssible contents.

"When I look back, I realise that some of the people who liked what I did also have issues with some of the things we did. I plan to do a second book to address some of their concerns. I intend to show for example that we deliberately went after grand corruption because that is where the problem is. We interrogated the Governors, the Senate President, the Vice President. I put a Bank Director, Bulama in handcuffs. The moment we did that, the banks knew immediately that there were no sacred cows. We needed to send a strong signal that corruption will not be condoned and the cleansing process had to start from the stop. The day I took the job, I knew that it could end up like this. I knew that I could be victimised or dismissed or killed. It could have been worse. That I am alive today is by the Grace of the Almighty and I am grateful. But my position is that some people just have to make the sacrifice to save our country. I swear by the Almighty that wherever there are people who are trying to make Nigeria a better country, I will be among them. Walahi."

Another objective Ribadu intends to achieve in the second book is to comment on a number of case studies. "People go about saying that Obasanjo used me to go after his enemies, Obasanjo didn't use me, in fact may be it is the other way round. If you check, you will notice that the people we went after were actually Obasanjo's people. Alamiyeseigha was very close to the President. Odili was also very close to him. Saminu Turaki was an Obasanjo man. I deliberately did not go after the opposition. Yes, we investigated Orji Kalu. We also investigated Bola Tinubu. I know the President's people would have wanted the EFCC to go after a man like Ken Nnamani. But we needed to start with the Obasanjo people to make a point that nobody is above the law. And that was why we investigated the President himself, And we went after his daughter. I was in Kuru then, but I knew about the Iyabo case. If we want to clean up our country, then let us do it. And that was why I went after Atiku. Atiku is from the same village with me. But Nigeria is more important. It belongs to all of us, not some powerful people."

Ribadu's book is also a response to questions about due process and the rule of law. "People complain that we didn't obey the rule of law, that we violated due process and they use specific instances to criticise us. I plan to respond to all those criticisms. Take a man like former IG Tafa Balogun. I didn't like what happened myself. I was against putting him in handcuffs. But I have to be sensitive to the people who work under me. They came to me and accussed me of double standards. When I accepted the job, I was inspired by the example of Jerry Rawlings of Ghana who went after the big fish and changed his country for good. So we decided that if we could put a Bank MD in handcuffs and follow that up with an Inspector General of Police, then Nigerians would realise that we meant serious business. That was what happened. I am a human being. I make mistakes. I admit that. But I was honest about what I did. So they say we abused the rule of law? What is rule of law? The same rule of law that has now been used to recapture Nigeria?"

I told Ribadu I can't wait to read and review his books. When are they coming out? "This year. By July. We have to keep the anti-corruption campaign alive. For me personally, there is nothing left for me other than to dedicate myself to the struggle. I am not seeking to be an Obama. But people must be prepared to make the sacrifice. We need change more than America." How is he these days? "I sleep well these days", he said. "My needs are minimal. Look at this pair of slippers". I checked: an over-abused pair of slippers with worn edges and threatening holes. "I have been wearing this since 2003 and I am okay. But I must tell you I have enjoyed a lot of goodwill since I left office. I was offered jobs by many international organisations. I receive invitations to attend conferences and to write books. I came here for example from Lusaka. I am happy to know that there are people out there who have faith in human progress and integrity."

It was soon the turn of Ribadu to participate in a panel discussion focussing on country case studies. There were contributions from representatives of Nigeria's EFCC and the ICPC, but Ribadu's comments had a special accent which struck a chord among the participants. He said: "If you fight corruption, it fights back. If you go after petty corruption nothing will happen to you, But if you go after grand corruption, you'd be taking on the politicians and they have the money. And they will come after you, But you can choose to go to bed with them and you'd continue to be Chairman or Director, and you can go to conferences and enjoy tea and collect estacodes. But I made a choice, I decided to go after the big ones, even if they were the ones that put me there, I investigated President Obasanjo, I took his statement myself. I went after his daughter, a Senator, I went after Governors, I charged all of them to court. One of them offered me $500, 000 US and a house in Seychelles and an aircraft, but I rejected all of that. By the time I left EFCC, I had 275 convictions in a country that never had one on cases of grand corruption, I charged the Vice President to court - somebody from my village. I proved that it can be done.

"It is the most difficult work to do. To confront it will require people who make sacrifice like Mandela, like the people who fought for independence in our various countries. It requires people who have courage, people who do not think that they want to enjoy. If you want to enjoy, it is not the kind of work you can do. I have no regrets. It requires a strong will to make sacrifice. You have to make a fundamental decsiion. It can even mean you lose your life. They will try to compromise you, They will try to blackmail you. I survived an assassination attempt. I have bullets in my car. I intend to keep that car for life. I have no regrets. You have the media. You have to carry them along, be open, be accountable. I have never given a penny to anybody in the media, But there is no newspaper in Nigeria that has not made me Man of the Year, even though I charged some publishers to court and even threatened to close down newspapers. Which shows that people are good. If they see that you mean well, they will support you. I am out now, but Nigeria has changed. You need international co-operation. You also need to build capacity.

"We built a Financial Intelligence Unit, you have to be in control of Financial intelligence in your country. because money is at the root of all forms of corruption. If you track the money, you can stop the corruption. Be on the side of your own people. Don't be on the side of the leaders. A President will go, but the country will be there, Those who are in control, it is only temporary. History will judge you and you will never regret."

Yoola2007:


"We built a Financial Intelligence Unit, you have to be in control of Financial intelligence in your country. because money is at the root of all forms of corruption. If you track the money, you can stop the corruption. Be on the side of your own people. Don't be on the side of the leaders. A President will go, but the country will be there, Those who are in control, it is only temporary. History will judge you and you will never regret."

GBAM!

The press coverage of ibori and his opinions is just as stupid as being ibori himself.Ibori is a known criminal and his rightful place is the cooler or execution.

He massively owes nigerians yet unborn,just like obasanjo and the rest does.

Delta elders want Ibori to come clean

By Nicholas ibekwe


September 28, 2009 11:27PMT
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Former Delta State governor, James Ibori, got an unsolicited advice on Monday from community elders, who asked him to confront reality and stop claiming that his money laundering cases in the UK and Nigeria are politically motivated.

Speaking through the leader of the elders and stakeholders’ forum in Delta State, Edwin Clark, also a former information minister, the community elders dismissed Mr. Ibori’s claim that his trials were orchestrated by former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, because of his stance for a more just fiscal federal principle that favours the Niger Delta states.

“Ibori has no reason to accuse anybody for his travails. If he did not commit a crime, will Obasanjo manufacture offences against him?” Mr. Clark demanded, saying, Mr. Ibori’s comments at a Lagos press conference on Friday that Mr. Obasanjo sought to punish him for his opposition to the former president’s bid to get a third term in office and his struggle for a 13 per cent derivation on oil proceeds, was untrue. “There is nothing to show that Ibori was against Obasanjo for the third term. After the third term, he and Obasanjo were hobnobbing; they were meeting together from time to time,” the community elder said angrily.

Mr. Ibori lied when he said he was the one who championed the move for 13 per cent derivation, according to Mr. Clark, who explained that the demand for a 13 per cent derivation was a collective effort by the elders and all the state governors at the time. He said rather than being at the forefront for resource control, Mr. Ibori “merely stole the money to enrich himself”.

Mr. Clark insisted that the former governor was only cooking up excuses; and wondered how Mr. Ibori could possibly blame others for the problems he brought upon himself. “All the houses he bought in London, was it Obasanjo who told him to buy the Total oil company in Benin; and the purchase of five million Naira worth of diesel every month from Total which came to about 300 million naira; and the shares he bought from Afribank, the five billion naira spent in Afribank, was it Obasanjo who was responsible for that?” he asked rhetorically.

In the same breath, the elder statesman accused the former president of fraternising with Mr. Ibori and of imposing the current governor of Delta State, Emmanuel Iduaghan, on the people of the state.

“There was romance between the former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, and Ibori. Ibori was frequenting Aso Rock almost every day and it was Obasanjo who imposed Ibori’s first cousin, Emmanuel Iduaghan, as governor of Delta State. We said that Iduaghan was going to be made to cover up the misdeed of Ibori; Obasanjo said no. So I was surprised to hear that Obasanjo was the one who caused his present travail,” he said.

Also Mr. Clark asked the former governor to justify some of his acts of abuse of office like the “signing of a supplementary budget of N120 billion into law on the 14th of June 2004, and that from 2001 to 2004 all the supplementary budgets didn’t go to the House of Assembly but he signed them into law”. He also called on Mr. Ibori to account for state’s fund to the tune of 37 million dollars and the state’s shares in Oceanic Bank, which he claimed has dropped in value from N30 to N3, thereby amounting to a loss of about $15 billion. He also alleged that Ibori tried to acquire Wilbros with the state’s shares as collateral, and that he bought NAFCON with money from the state’s coffers. Mr. Clark added that Mr. Ibori bought a custom-made aeroplane in Canada also with money gotten from the state’s treasury.

Culled from 1234Next

Edwin Clark said it all.

I have said it before, if EFCC selectively monitors the Governor of my State's activities it can only be good for the people of my state. If my Governor does not steal even EFCC relocates to Owerri they will have nothing to prosecute him on.

So Nigerians should turn the page on this nonsense called selectivity, regardless of what the victims want to base it on. The courts are there to set the Innocent free.

I also think all those who want to buy Ibori's 3rd term spin simply have a very short memory. Ibori can not be an OBJ arch enemy and then somehow play the most important role of selecting this lame duck of a President who at the time was the crown prince.

Both Ribadu and Ibori are thieves, Let Ibori face his own fate now, later Ribadu shall face his. Turn by turn.

expert1:

Both Ribadu and Ibori are thieves, Let Ibori face his own fate now, later Ribadu shall face his. Turn by turn.

God bless you ma brother. Some fools in here will break their useless balls to defend criminality. Tomorrow they will come out and shout corruption corruption while they defend/celebrate those corrupt criminals cuz of some change.

expert1:

Both Ribadu and Ibori are thieves, Let Ibori face his own fate now, later Ribadu shall face his. Turn by turn.

If that is what you want, why not focus on Ibori now? Why divert attention to Ribadu? Considering the topic you are posting under, you have made a clear statement of support for Ibori's accusations.

Are you his attorney by any chance?

"Mr. Ibori lied when he said he was the one who championed the move for 13 per cent derivation, according to Mr. Clark, who explained that the demand for a 13 per cent derivation was a collective effort by the elders and all the state governors at the time. He said rather than being at the forefront for resource control, Mr. Ibori “merely stole the money to enrich himself”.

Mr. Clark insisted that the former governor was only cooking up excuses; and wondered how Mr. Ibori could possibly blame others for the problems he brought upon himself. “All the houses he bought in London, was it Obasanjo who told him to buy the Total oil company in Benin; and the purchase of five million Naira worth of diesel every month from Total which came to about 300 million naira; and the shares he bought from Afribank, the five billion naira spent in Afribank, was it Obasanjo who was responsible for that?” he asked rhetorically."

Q.E.D

"Also Mr. Clark asked the former governor to justify some of his acts of abuse of office like the “signing of a supplementary budget of N120 billion into law on the 14th of June 2004, and that from 2001 to 2004 all the supplementary budgets didn’t go to the House of Assembly but he signed them into law”. He also called on Mr. Ibori to account for state’s fund to the tune of 37 million dollars and the state’s shares in Oceanic Bank, which he claimed has dropped in value from N30 to N3, thereby amounting to a loss of about $15 billion. He also alleged that Ibori tried to acquire Wilbros with the state’s shares as collateral, and that he bought NAFCON with money from the state’s coffers. Mr. Clark added that Mr. Ibori bought a custom-made aeroplane in Canada also with money gotten from the state’s treasury"

Can you beat that.Ibori stole 400 billion naira from Delta state coffers and went about buying up oil companies,properties,shares,private jets and NAFCON which he re-named Notore and he has the effrontery to appear on radio and TV to talk bullshi.t,he should take all the thrash he's saying and shove them up his ass,his and his wives'
Bloody double ex convict

“He should tell the world who paid for his hotel accommodation at 47 Park Street, Mayfair, London where he stayed on his way from San Francisco, USA. Additionally, Ribadu went about soliciting for contributions from those he claimed to be investigating, towards a non-existent EFCC Football Club, for which he collected large sums of money which was never applied for the purpose they were collected. This may account for one of the reasons why he made away with many files when he was leaving office, and has refused to formally hand over to his successor in office to date. Has he declared how much he so collected?


I want Ribadu to answer this direct question. This is not mere accusations. This is fact that can be checked out. As a Lawyer, Ribadu knows better!

There are receipts, proofs, CCTV ETC

I saw Yara dull on one of the local channels,reading some form of address,the way  the ex covict,mr ibori went about his media campaign of calumny against the person Ribadu I thought that he too would address the gullible set of Nigerians too today,well I maintain that woe betide you mr james onanefe ibori and your co-looters for raping the treasury of Delta state of funds in excess of 400 billion naira,you will surely burn in HELL

[size=14pt]London Money Laundering Trial: Crown Court judge insists that Nigerians can attend trial; denies request to appeal ruling on arrest warrant for Udo! [/size]

Deep desperation is beginning to set in for the James Ibori defence team at London's Southwark Crown Court. For the umpteenth time the lawyers representing associates of the beleaguered corrupt former governor at their money-laundering trial failed to sway Judge Christopher Hardy in their request to bar members of the public--particularly Nigerians in London--from attending the trial.

But as they pleaded, more Nigerians arrived to observe the trial. There were so many of them that the gallery overflowed. Many Nigerians were standing not only in the courtroom, but in the corridors.

One of those in attendance today was Ayo Obe, the former president of Nigeria's Civil Liberties Organization. She is visiting London to attend a conference and dropped by at the Wednesday proceedings in her private capacity. A Nigerian who recognized her offered his seat to her.

Ibori's desperate galaxy of lawyers deployed an arsenal of entreaties and innuendoes to try to get the Nigerian audience kicked out. One such underhanded approach was an argument that the the crowds in court may steal their defence documents. But instead of acceding to the bizarre plea, the judge, insisting that the case is of public interest, promised to consider a motion brought by a member of the public to expand the public gallery instead.

Nigerians in London, under the auspices of Respect Nigerians Coalition (RNC) and Nigeria Liberty Forum (NLF) have mobilized to attend the trials daily as a way of sending a strong signal to Abuja that the protection granted Ibori would no longer be tolerated.

In today’s ruling, Judge Hardy again rejected a defence counsel position that the Internet was being used to "harass and victimize" the accused persons. He reiterated that he could not control Internet publication of the proceedings.

Another development of interest today was the decision by the judge to return the accused persons to the dock to make room for the public. The accused persons--Ibori' sister, his secretary, and his mistress--have so far enjoyed the freedom to seat freely in the courtroom in the section reserved for the jury. Judge Hardy signalled today that that would change; the accused persons would seat in the dock with the freedom to move around, and with the door of the dock open.

Meanwhile, efforts by counsel to Ibori mistress Udoamaka Okoronkwo (Onuigbo) to present documents from the judge handling Ibori’s case in Asaba to convince the court that the sham trial in Asaba would be just and fair and that there was no need to try her in two jurisdictions concurrently for the same crime.

It is believed that Nigeria’s Attorney General, Michael Aondoakaa, has obtained fraudulent documents from the judge in Asaba and may have sent them to Ibori’s lawyers. The same judge in the Federal High court in Asaba, who was hand-picked by defendant Ibori, had earlier rejected a request by the London court to provide a guarantee that Onuigbo would be produced to face trial in London after the Asaba case would have wound up.

But the defence has an uphill task producing real case progress in Asaba as there is none. In his latest rant in the media, Ibori stopped short of announcing the judge's verdict by declaring that the evidence against him in court would not stand.
His lawyers have already applied for the case to be thrown out because according to them, the EFCC did not file witnesses in the proceedings. It would be recalled that when Ibori’s trial was going on in Kaduna, he mobilized and deployed militants to Kaduna in buses provided by the Delta State State government. The hired hands destroyed the fencing of the Federal High court there.

Those who attended the court hearing in London today noted that mistress Udoamaka's attitude had softened. Contrary to her arrogant, photo-posing performance in previous appearances, she appeared subdued today, as if someone has warned her that such behavior could hurt her case.


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[size=14pt]Exposed - Ibori's Role In Abacha's Deadly Strike Force[/size]

New US District Court Documents Detail James Ibori’s Criminal Ties to the Abacha Regime
Monday, 29 June 2009 23:58 Sahara Reporters, New York

Saharareporters has obtained new US court documents that provide fresh clues into the criminal past of former Governor James Onafefe Ibori of Delta State. Saharareporters was first to unearth details of Ibori’s conviction in England on shoplifting and larceny charges. His wife, Theresa Nakanda Ibori, was also convicted along with him in England.

The latest court documents -UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: v.$1,09,000.40 in U.S.CURRENCY -from the US establish that Ibori was engaged in serious criminal activities in the days of General Sani Abacha, the late dictator who unleashed a reign of terror and mindless looting in Nigeria.

The recently obtained documents pertain to an asset forfeiture settlement between Ibori and the United States Secret Service in the US District Court in Maryland. The case stemmed from numerous wire transfers of substantial sums of cash into Ibori’s accounts with Citibank. The funds were wired from accounts in Switzerland.

A US justice department source who recently became familiar with the case told Saharareporters that the documents unraveled a pattern of money laundering and patronage that Ibori enjoyed during the Abacha regime. However, at the time of forfeiture of the assets, the US authorities thought the monies were proceeds from 419 activities, instead of pay-offs for Ibori’s dastardly work for the Abacha regime.

A retired colonel told our correspondent that Ibori “provided a wide variety of services to the Abacha regime. The services included espionage on pro-democracy activists and the murder of the regime’s real or perceived enemies.” The source said that the assassination of Mr. Alfred Rewane, a financier and backer of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), was “Ibori’s most notable hit.” Mr. Rewane was killed in 1995 at his home in GRA Ikeja, a suburb of Lagos. The source also stated that Ibori participated in the killing of General Shehu Musa Yar’adua (rtd). The late Yar’adua was reportedly injected with the blood of a member of Abacha’s dreaded Strike Force/BG member who died of AIDS shortly after returning from training in Libya and Ibori sacrificed his newspaper editor, Niran Malaolu to one of Ababcha's phantom coup trials that earned him life imprisonment until Abacha died.

The US district court documents suggest that Ibori was reaping the reward of his membership of Abacha’s killer squad after he met Hamza Al Mustapha, Abacha’s Chief Security Officer.

In an “affidavit in support of arrest in rem” sworn to by USSS agent, Eddie L. Coulter, it was revealed that Ibori began receiving huge sums of money into a Citibank account he opened in the last quarter of 1994, when Abacha began recruiting civilian assassins to serve his regime. The affidavit discloses that the big sum that triggered the forfeiture proceedings took place in 1996 when the sum of $1.5 million was wired to Ibori’s Citibank account. In court papers obtained by Saharareporters, US investigators laid out a case that Ibori’s stunning deposits were the proceeds of some 419 activities. They revealed that, prior to making the amazing transfers, Ibori and his wife, Theresa Nakanda, lived in England in assisted public housing. Both Ibori and his wife were receiving public assistance at the time that the inexplicable money transfers started flowing into his CitiBank accounts.

Caught in the crosshairs of American law enforcement, Ibori wangled documents with the help of the Abacha regime claiming that the monies came from legitimate sources. In court documents, he claimed part of the deposits came from payments from a debt collection he undertook for a company that was owed huge sums of money by the ministry of petroleum resources as well as Nigeria's minsitry of finance.

Our investigation showed that the Abacha regime went out of its way to assist Ibori in building a deceptive case that the astonishing deposits came from legitimate business dealings. Despite those false declarations, US court documents show that American investigators forced Ibori to forfeit part of the deposits as a penalty.

Ibori’s suspicious use of different dates to obtain driver’s licenses in Maryland and later Virginia drew the attention of the US secret service. 

When shown the asset forfeiture papers, two Nigerian security sources, including a member of the Special Investigation Panel (SIP) that once interrogated Ibori over mysterious Abacha-era assassinations, told Saharareporters that the court documents were the missing link in their inquiry, which eventually nabbed Al Mustapha, Ibori’s close business associate during the Abacha years.

Nigerian security agents, serving and retired, who spoke to us indicated that the security agencies were well aware of Ibori’s extensive participation in the tight-knit network of the Abacha regime’s hideous security apparatus that was responsible for a series of assassinations, disappearances and the frame-up of notable pro-democracy activists in Nigeria between 1993 and 1998. Abacha was working to transmute from a dictator to an “elected” president when he died suddenly in 1998 in mysterious circumstances.

Col. Ibrahim Yakassai, a military doctor who helped inject Shehu Musa Yar’adua (the elder brother of current Nigeria ruler, Umaru Yar’adua) with the AIDS-contaminated blood of a dead BG member, told the Special Investigation Panel (SIP) that investigated Abacha-era killings and corruption that a good deal of monies stolen in the name of “security votes” went to Ibori who maintained strong business dealings with Al Mustapha. Col. (Dr.) Yakassai was the head of the murderous special force known as the “BG”.

In the words of one of our highly knowledgeable security sources, “Colonel Yakassai did confess to the SIP that some of the money the General Abdulsalami Abubakar regime accused him of embezzling was given to Ibori to finance The Diet newspaper which was co-owned by Ibori and Major Hamza Mustapha.”

Saharareporters checks shows that Diet newspaper was registered on October 10 1996 as “Diet Communications Limited”. Ibori and Hadi Hamza, a brother of Al Mustapha’s, were listed as the major shareholders in the company whose registration number with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) was 301608. Hadi Hamza represented the interests of Abacha’s chief security aide.
A member of the SIP gave Saharareporters a chilling account of the way Abacha’s team of assassins “exterminated General Yar’adua.” According to him, “Major Hamza Al Mustapha, James Ibori and Ibrahim Yakassai met in Abuja on the orders of General Abacha to find a final solution to Shehu Yar’adua’s intransigence. After the team met, they opted to send a special operations team to Port Harcourt. The team was led by Hamza Mustapha. General Shehu Yar’adua was then transported from his Enugu prison to a guesthouse in Port Harcourt where he was injected with a concoction.”

The source said the fluid contained the contaminated blood of a Strike Force BG trainee who fell ill in Libya and was rushed home to the State House Clinic in Abuja where he died of AIDS. The dead operative’s blood was drawn and flown on a presidential jet to Port Harcourt with the team that went to kill Yar’adua. The elder Yar’adua died a few weeks later.

Several security sources told Saharareporters that the Yar’adua family was responsible for blocking public disclosure of the way the general was finished off. “Because of the AIDS angle to (the general’s) death, his family, including President Yar’adua, stopped further prosecution of the case,” said one source. “They considered the cause of his death too embarrassing to be revealed to the public. Another source told Saharareporters that “President” Yar’adua was working quietly to, “very shortly,” arrange the release of Hamza Mustapha. Al Mustapha has been standing trial in Lagos for his role in the attempted assassination of Mr. Alex Ibru, publisher of the Guardian stable of newspapers. The court handling the former CSO’s case is being pressured to quietly use a technicality to set Abacha’s hit man free.

A top politician familiar with the internal intrigues within the Yar’adua family told Saharareporters that Ibori’s closeness to Umaru Yar’adua indicated “the often hidden depths of Umaru’s hatred for his elder brother.” The source said Yar’adua was clearly aware of Ibori’s role in the team that ended his brother’s life.

In another interesting twist, Yar’adua’s wife, Turai, is “an extremely close friend of Miriam Abacha,” the late dictator’s widow. Miriam Abacha was conspicuously present at the wedding of “President” Yar’adua’s daughter to Governor Isah Yuguda of Bauchi. By contrast, Binta Yar’adua, wife of the late general, was not seen at the wedding. Our source said that Shehu Yar’adua’s family has limited access to his younger brother’s regime and family.

One of Ibori’s longstanding friends told Saharareporters that the former Delta governor “is a survivalist who knows how to cozy up to family members of those he helped to deal with.” As earlier reported by Saharareporters, Ibori established a curious friendship with Ebisan Rewane, the son of Pa Rewane. He lavishly enriched the younger Rewane, nominating him as a member of some of his shadow companies.

Sources within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as well as agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission told Saharareporters that Ibori invested close to N16 billion in Umaru Yar’adua’s presidential campaigns in 2006/2007.

Ibori, whose official birth date is 1958, claimed that he was born on two different dates in 1962, according to an affidavit by the special US agent who investigated his cash deposits. The affidavit is reproduced below:


AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF ARREST IN REM


1.    I am a Special Agent with the United States Secret Service and have been so employed since 1993. I am currently assigned to the Secret Service Washington metro Alien Fraud Task Force (MAFTF), a multi-agency fraud task force investigating organized alien fraud groups.

As a member of this task force, I regularly investigate financial schemes perpetrated by alien groups against victims located in the metropolitan Washington D.C. area and throughout the world. I have worked numerous large scale fraud cases involving organized Nigerian groups.


2.    Because of the numerous cases worked against Nigerian groups, I know that in one particular scheme, individuals from the Republic of Nigeria attempt to steal money from individuals and corporations, using an “Advance Fee” fraud scheme. The host promises payment in the form of wire transfers of large amounts of money, e.g. $60,000,000 identified as “over-invoiced” contract money which, rather than returning it to the Nigerian Government, the host desires to transfer the money to a foreign account to be shared by all parties. The “investors” typically receive a fax outlining the “surplus funds,” and may even be told that the plan is specifically designed to keep the money out of the hands of the Nigerian Government. 


3.    In the beginning, the host requires no money up front. Gradually, the host will request that certain “fees” be paid in order to facilitate the transfer of the money, which the host will usually increase, justifying the additional fees as part of the “investment.”


4.    The common theme in all of the schemes is the promise of millions of dollars in return for a “minor” investment, which is usually increased over time depending on the victim’s ability to pay. These fees are usually explained as taxes, telecommunication fees and expenses incurred by the host, which must be paid in “advance” in relationship to the entire transaction. The transaction, of course, never takes place.


5.    Generally, the investor makes an initial payment and the host continues to obtain additional “advance fees,” explaining away additional fees until the investor begins to question the legitimacy of the deal. The host then discontinues any further contact and the investor loses whatever money he has paid

.
6.    During 1995, the United States Secret Service received approximately 3,250 different letters from businesses throughout the United States regarding letters using the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as a “front.” This scheme entices the business to assist Nigerians in the transfer of excessive contract funds to offshore accounts. This fraud scheme uses bogus, counterfeit and false, faxed documents displaying the Central Bank of Nigeria letterhead and stamp. In every case the investor wires money to bank accounts to “facilitate” the transfer of these funds, and the money is never seen again.


7.    This fraud has been classified by the Secret Service as “4-1-9” fraud. The “4-1-9” is derived from the provision of the Nigerian Criminal Code, which prohibits any scheme designed to defraud the Nigerian government and denies certain government sanctions, including restitution, to any individual who participates in the fraud, including “investors” who invest in such schemes.


8.    When contacted by the United States Secret Service, the NNPC confirmed that it is a legitimate corporation and NNPC does not deal with clients in the manner outlined in the scheme. NNPC representatives stated that there are organized criminal elements who represent themselves as members of NNPC in an attempt to execute fraud schemes. NNPC stated that there are no special rates, registration or licensing fees associated with their business transactions, and all of their transactions are conducted through the Crude Oil Marketing Division and not the Central Bank of Nigeria, where numerous fraudulent initiation letters originate.


9.    In summing up the “Advance Fee, 4-1-9” fraud scheme, it can be described as a very large-scale international “film flam” operation, involving numerous banking institutions. The scheme involves numerous wire transfers of large amounts of money through various national and international financial institutions. This scheme almost always utilizes faxed counterfeit and/or false documents, etc., which ultimately results in the theft of money from the corporation or individual investor.


10.    In all cases, the “investor” is aware that he is engaging in a questionable investment at best. These investors are located throughout the world, including the United States. The 4-1-9 conspirators also maintain residences throughout the world. They also maintain bank accounts in numerous financial institutions, including the State of Maryland and Prince Georgia’s County, Maryland, which is the subject of the Affidavit.


11.    On or about October 20, 1994, James O. Ibori opened a CitiBank/CitiGold account (#52001013) at Branch number 734, 822 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland. At the time Ibori opened the account, he claimed he was self employed as an “International Policy Analyst/Consultant.” The information provided to CitiBank/CitiGold was a London address – 3 Athelsto N.E., Harrow, Wealdstone, Great Britain HA3SV; Date of Birth – 06/08/62; Social Security Number 703-960-0835. Since the opening of this account, Ibori’s average balance ranged from approximately $1,000.00 to as much as $15,000.00.


12.    On or about November 29, 1996, according to CitiBank Investigators, Ibori received an incoming wire transfer of approximately $1,500,000.00 into his CitiBank account (#52001013) from an undisclosed customer at RAHN & BODMER Bank located in Zurich, Switzerland. Around that same time, Ibori also received an incoming wire transfer of approximately $250,000.00 into the same account. Both incoming transfers named James Ibori as the beneficiary. 


13.    On or about December 3, 1996, Ibori contacted CitiBank/CitiGold and provided instructions to disburse $500,000.00 to BARCLAYS BANK INTERNATIONAL SERVICES (London), account # 88309199. The beneficiary of that account was James Ibori.


14.    That same day, Ibori also provided instructions to CitiBank/CitiGold to disburse an additional $5,000.00 to BARCLAYS BANK (HARBOR BAY BRANCH-Nassau, Bahamas), account #1128186. The beneficiary of that account was James Ibori.


15.    On December 4, 1996, Ibori instructed CitiBank/CitiGold to disburse $50,000.00 to CITIZENS INTERNATIONAL BANK LTD (London), account number 439203947. The beneficiary of that account was James Ibori.


16.    On or about that same day, CitiBank/CitiGold files a Suspicious Activity Report regarding the incoming $1.5 million, and outgoing $500,000.00, $50,000.00 and $5,000.00 wire transfers from Ibori’s account (#52001013). The report was subsequently forwarded to the MATF, U.S. Secret Service, Washington, D.C.


17.    On December 6, 1996, I received the Suspicious Activity Report that was filed by CitiBank/CitiGold. I also was informed by CitiBank/CitiGold that, earlier that day, Ibori had attempted to disburse additional funds via wire. Ibori told the CitiBank/CitiGold representative that he was calling from Hyatt Hotel in London and provided three telephone numbers where he could be reached: 01123412610578, 01123495231811 (room 1076), and 01123490400911 (cell phone).

When representatives of Citibank/CitiGold called the telephone number for the “hotel” in London, an individual answered and claimed that Ibori had checked out earlier that day. Investigation revealed that the telephone numbers were, in fact, telephone numbers located within the country of Lagos, Nigeria and not London, England. 
18.    That same day, CitiBank/CitiGold representative questioned Ibori about the $1,500,000.00 incoming wire transfer. Ibori said that the money was for unspecified work that he had been doing for the past nine months.
19.   

Later on December 6, 1996, Special Agent (SA) Hupp, MAFTF, called the Virginia telephone number (703-960-0835). An answering machine responded with a voice that identified itself as James Ibori. The telephone number was unlisted.


20.    On December 9, 1996, I called RAHN and BODMER Bank and spoke with Christian Rahn, Partner and Legal Representative. I informed him of the Suspicious Activity Report that was filed by CitiBank/CitiGold. I requested that he contact the customer that wired the $1,500,000.00 to Ibori’s CitiBank/CitiGold account (#52001013). I also requested that he (Rahn) inquire of the customer the circumstance under which the money was wired to Ibori. Rahn agreed that he would do so.


21.    That same day, I contacted SA James Gallagher, U.S. Secret Service, London Resident Office. I provided SA Gallagher the London address of Ibori, 3 Athlesto N.E., Harrow, Wealdstone, Great Britain HA3SV, and Date of Birth, 06/08/62, to verify the information that Ibori provided to CitiBank/CitiGold.


22.    A query of the Department of Motor Vehicle records, within Washington, D.C.-Metropolitan area revealed that Ibori, in order to obtain states’ of Virginia and Maryland Driver’s Licenses, used a different date of birth, 08/04/62, from what was provided to CitiBank/CitiGold when his account was opened. Sometime in April 1996, Ibori obtained a state of Virginia’s Driver’s license, address 6040 Richmond Highway, Apt. #607, Alexandria, VA 22303. Ibori, in February 1993, also obtained a state of Maryland Driver’s License, address 12630 Viers Mill Rd., Apt. 1503, Rockville, Maryland 20853.


23.    On December 10, 1996, I received a call from SA Gallagher. SA Gallagher informed me that Ibori did, in fact, reside at 3 Athelso N.E., Harrow, Wealdstone, great Britain HA3SV with a wife or girlfriend, Theresa Nakanda, and a two year old child. SA Gallagher also informed me that criminal history check in London revealed that Nakanda had been arrested for theft in 1992. At the time of her arrest, she was accompanied by an individual who identified himself as “James Obori.” SA Gallagher also informed me that the location where Ibori resided was a Public Housing Community, In addition, SA Gallagher stated that Ibori, according to the British public housing authorities, had been unemployed and receiving public assistance/unemployment benefits.


24.    Later that day, Ibori contacted CitiBank/CitiGold and provided instructions for several outgoing wire transactions to be sent from his CitiBank/CitiGold account (#52001013):
1.    $100,000 to CITIZENS INTERNATIONAL LTD (London), account 439203947. The beneficiary of that account was James Ibori. 
2.    $500,000 to Meryll lynch (NY), I.D. #141760/Subaccount # 116-11037. The beneficiary of that account was James Ibori.
3.    $300,000 and $200,000, on separate occasions, to CitiBank/CitiGold Mutual Fund Investment account #52001013. The beneficiary of that account was James Ibori,
4.    $50,000 to GUARANTY TRUST BANK, account # 664276. The beneficiary of that account was Lateef Belo-Osagie.


25.    On December 11, 1996, I spoke with Christian Rahn, Partner and Legal Representative of Rahn and Bodmer Bank in Zurich, Switzerland. Rahn stated that he had been in contact with the customer’s representative. Rahn stated that the customer had entered into a “contractual agreement” with Ibori regarding a debt collection on an oil contract. Rahn also stated that the customer was under the impression that the monies, wired to Ibori, were “fees” or payment for the “services” rendered by Ibori.


26.    As a result of this investigation, I have discovered many of the elements that are indicative of the “Advance Fee” fraud scheme. Ibori, a non-citizen (Nigerian), in 1994, opened an account (#52001013) CitiBank, Rockville, Maryland using a London address, and Virginia’s driver’s license. At the time Ibori opened his account, he claimed he was an “International Policy Analyst” when, in fact, he appears to have been unemployed and was receiving unemployment benefits in London. In addition, since the opening of Ibori’s account, his average balance, through November 1996, has been approximately $10,000.00. Since the approximate dates of 11/29/96 through 12/10/96, Ibori has received and disbursed approximately $1,750,000.00 into other foreign and domestic accounts whereby Ibori has been the beneficiary.


27.    On December 13, 1997, I obtained seizure warrants from a U.S. Magistrate Judge for three bank accounts whereby James Ibori was the beneficiary:
1.    $500,000.00, Meryll Lynch (NY), I.D. #141760/ Subaccount # 116-11037.
2.    $300,000.00 and $200,000.00, CitiBanl/CitiGold Mutual Fund Investment, account #52001013.
3.    $500,000.00, BARCLAYS BANK INTERNATIONAL SERVICES (London), account # 88309199.


28.    Between the dates of December 13-20, 1997, I retrieved the total sum of $1,019,000.40 from the above-mentioned accounts (#’s 1. & 2.)


29.    To the present, your affiant has been unsuccessful in obtaining the necessary supporting documents (i.e. contractual agreement and etc.) from Ibori or the unidentified disburser of the funds seized.


30.    Based on my training, knowledge, and experience, this type of wire transfer activity is indicative of the advance fee fraud scheme. The scheme resulted in part in the wire transfer of $1,500,000.00 into the CitiBank/CitiGold Account #52001013 listed in the name of James O. Ibori. I believe that Ibori, through many counts of misrepresentation, has, under false pretenses, obtained monies and used domestic foreign financial institutions to facilitate this “Advance Fee” fraud scheme. 


31.    By reason of the foregoing, I believe the defendant monies were involved in transactions in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956 and/or 1957 or are traceable to monies involved in such transactions, and are therefore forfeitable to the United States of America pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 981.






___________________________


Eddie L. Colter, Jr.,
United States Secret Service

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