YES FINALLY! I HOPE HE ROTS IN JAIL!!!

DR. Peter Odili, the former governor of Rivers State, may soon keep a date with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to answer questions on alleged siphoning of state funds.
National Daily sources revealed that three officials of the Assets Recovery Unit of the Metropolitan Police, London, arrived the country recently, to avail the EFCC with vital documented evidence on Odili's alleged money laundering and business transaction, in Britain and other parts of the world. The British cops allegedly came with incontrovertible evidence of Odili's ownership of a new top class airline.

Competent sources said the Metropolitan Police detectives were led by a certain DC Peter Clarke and were accompanied by a lawyer. Their British Airways flight landed at Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, where they were received by senior officials of the EFCC. “It was the EFCC that contacted the Scotland Yard to unveil the facts on Odili's financial activities in London.
The metropolitan police had alerted the commission of how the airline got majority of its bank loans from the UK.

The commission wanted certain details on the ownership of the Airline and the former governor's other investments. The UK police promised to respond to the EFCC's request, sources said.
National Daily sources said that Clark and his team were driven in a 406 Peugeot car to Transcop Hilton Hotel, Abuja, where they lodged for three days. They met with an EFCC delegation, led by its chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, and allegedly fulfilled their promise to give the commission vital information and documents to enable it prove its case against some former governors, which also included James Ibori, and Joshua Dariye.

Odili and some of the former governors were first invited to the EFCC office in Abuja, three weeks ago, for interrogation on alleged corrupt practices during their tenure as state helmsmen.
Odili was the governor of, arguably, the richest state in the country and a very close friend of former President, Olusegun Obasanjo.
During a visit to the United States in company of Odili, Obasanjo reportedly told Kofi Annan that “this governor (Odili) is richer than the UN, so, if you really need help, talk to him, he can help the UN.”

Odili was accused of unbridled looting of the River State treasury during his eight years as governor.
Rivers State is said to have received about N300 billion from federal allocation account. Odili allegedly purchased a high brow hospital in South Africa and two Brazilian made Embrae jets, which he used during his ill fated presidential campaign.

Odili and Obasanjo were fingered as part owners of the airline. Odili allegedly approved the payment of N2 billion to a little known Consultant Company, Rockson Engineering Company Limited. The company was registered on 16th May 2000, with serial number RC 380929.
Before the N2 billion approval by Odili, Rockson allegedly did not have up to N50 million in its account.

On November 21, 2000, Odili instructed the defunct Continental Trust Bank to deposit the sum of N2 billion in Rockson's account.
However, sources close to Odili and the Airline debunked the allegation that the former Rivers State governor and Obasanjo are part owners of the top class Airline.

“It's all malicious lies; Obasanjo and Odili have nothing to do, with the airline. You can find out the truth at Corporate Affairs Commission, the source said.

Also reacting to the allegation, a top official of the EFCC, however, declined to confirm the involvement of the UK Metropolitan Police in its anti-corruption investigation, particularly in the case of Odili.

“I am not aware of the airline investigation; you know that it is an American business deal not UK,” said the official, who pleaded anonymity.
Odili allegedly used the Independent Power Projects as a conduit pipe to siphon monies through existent companies. A UK company, SWISS VER FINANCE, was allegedly issued with a $32.6 million confirmed, irrevocable, transferable and divisible letter of credit, issued by the Union Bank of Nigeria, on behalf of the Rivers State government. SWISS VER FINANCE was the alleged middleman for procuring two gas turbine engines from undisclosed manufacturers.

The UK government company registry shows that SWISS VER FINANCE LTD (RC NO. 04475885) is in liquidation.
National Daily learnt that the EFCC has finalised plans to arrest, at least, four other former state governors. They include Lucky Igbinedion, Abdullahi Adamu, George Akume and Boni Haruna.

“Ribadu is very serious about bringing these ex-governors to book in order to prove a point. You know, he made a vow that he will arrest and prosecute some of the former governors when, after the May 29 handover date, they will no longer have imunity,” said an informed source, adding “the commission is determined to secure the conviction of, at least, four former governors. The commission wants to clear the mess it got into by becoming involved in political issues during the Obasanjo administration.”

Competent sources said the EFCC is under local and international pressure to prosecute some of the former governors said to have looted their state treasury.

“The international community believes that the EFCC is the greatest thing to happen in the fight against corruption in Nigeria. Foreign diplomats expressed the concern that the commission will be sending the wrong signals if the ex-governors were left off the hook,” said the source.
National Daily learnt that the targeted former state executives could have been arrested immediately after the handover ceremony on May 29, but the EFCC was dissuaded by President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua. The President, sources said, intervened after he met a delegation of his erstwhile colleagues, led by Ahmed Bola Tinubu and James Ibori.

Former governors, Orji Kalu, Chimaroke Nnamani and Saminu Turaki, were allegedly encouraged by their colleagues to return to the country.
National Daily reliably gathered that some of the former governors were desperate to secure a negotiated resolution of the cases against them.
“They have accepted to refund some of the money they were accused of siphoning. Ibori agreed to settle out of court.

He (Ibori) even vowed that anything or monies traced to him, he would pay back. Igbinedion is ready to refund some money. He had banked on his close friend, Ibori, to find a soft landing with the EFCC, through the negotiation apparatus put in place by Yar'Adua. Unfortunately, Ibori himself is battling to save his own neck. Turaki offered to refund N17 billion, but this was turned down by the commission because it allegedly had evidence of huge funds that were embezzled by the former governors.

Adamu Muazu and Tinubu were said to have also struck a deal with the EFCC.
Meanwhile, the security agents by Friday begun a manhunt for former Nasarawa State governor, Abdulahi Adamu, and Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu State.

The two allegedly went into hiding to escape being arrested by EFCC officials to answer corruption charges. However, Nnamani reportedly said in a phone interview that he has not fled the country. It was soon confirmed on Saturday and he was arrested.

Before his arrest sources insisted that Nnamani failed to honour the latest invitation to the EFCC office in Abuja. The EFCC therefore notified security agents at the nation's borders and Airports to arrest Nnamani whenever he was seen. The international police (Interpol) were informed about the two wanted former governor.

Yar'Adua, according to sources, may turn his back on some of the embattled governors, as he is reportedly under intense pressure from the international community to make real the threat to deal with the corrupt public office holders, who were hitherto shielded from arrest and prosecution by the immunity clause, as provided by section 308 of the constitution.

Former governors, Orji Uzor Kalu, Joshua Dariye and Saminu Turaki were, last week, arraigned before two Federal High Courts in Abuja for alleged money laundering to the tune of N40 billion.

Turaki, in a 32 count charge, allegedly laundered about N45 billion. Kalu allegedly laundered N3 billion in a 107 count-charge.
Political watchers have commended the recent clampdown on these allegedly corrupt former governors, saying that it would go a long way to bring sanity into the system of governance especially for the present public office holders.

According to them, the days of hiding under the guise of immunity clause are over as there will be no hiding place for corrupt public office holders when they leave office.

They have however called for the arrest and prosecution of the big names in the corrupt former governors list. “These big ones have stolen far more than all those so far arrested put together Nigerians are waiting to take President Yar'Adua more seriously when the likes of Odili, Ibori, Igbinedion among others are brought to books and not just allowed to go through the backdoor by refunding some of the stolen funds they argued.

source -  www.nationaldailyngr.com