Sometimes I just wonder how we can be so myopic in our views on issues as Nigerians. And I marvel at how far we can go to make a point - no matter how baseless our argument might be.

That Ibori pilfered the Delta State govt treasury while he was in office is no news. What people aren't talking about is what he did while he was governor of Delta State. I've interracted with many Deltans on this Ibori's case and they all wondered what's going on. We all know how the media in naija can ''paint the picture'' to sell their papers, so why would anyone take their stories to the heart?

As far as I'm concerned, until IBB, OBJ, Prof. Jubril Aminu, Atiku, Amala politician at Ibadan, Lamidi Adedibu, Bode George, Peter Odili, Chimaroke Nnamani, Olagunsoye, etc etc are all brought behind the bars by EFCC, I will only take the results of their prosecution acts with a pinch of salt; infact, I don't bother reading what the papers have to say about Ibori these days.

ono:

Sometimes I just wonder how we can be so myopic in our views on issues as Nigerians. And I marvel at how far we can go to make a point - no matter how baseless our argument might be.

That Ibori pilfered the Delta State govt treasury while he was in office is no news. What people aren't talking about is what he did while he was governor of Delta State. I've interracted with many Deltans on this Ibori's case and they all wondered what's going on. We all know how the media in naija can ''paint the picture'' to sell their papers, so why would anyone take their stories to the heart?

As far as I'm concerned, until IBB, OBJ, Prof. Jubril Aminu, Atiku, Amala politician at Ibadan, Lamidi Adedibu, Bode George, Peter Odili, Chimaroke Nnamani, Olagunsoye, etc etc are all brought behind the bars by EFCC, I will only take the results of their prosecution acts with a pinch of salt; infact, I don't bother reading what the papers have to say about Ibori these days.

it is mind boggling that this is your stand on this matter .The journey of a thousand miles begin with a step.what is wrong is what is wrong. If we say he can steal,but then why steal that much just because the oil fund is available ?
we must stay strong and not be partisan on these issues. Did you see that Broken bridge in Agbor ?

As far as I'm concerned, until [b]IBB, OBJ, Prof. Jubril Aminu, Atiku, Amala politician at Ibadan, Lamidi Adedibu, Bode George,
Peter Odili, Chimaroke Nnamani, Olagunsoye, [/b]etc etc are all brought behind the bars by EFCC, I will only take the results
of their prosecution acts with a pinch of salt; infact, I don't bother reading what the papers have to say about Ibori these days.

Hen hen hen, that is very funny. I guess Jubril Aminu just made your list on account of Siemens. Maybe if the US is able to
release the names of the guys involved in the Wilbros case, you will update your list too, and until everyone on your very
dynamic list is prosecuted, I guess you will continue to take the whole thing with a pinch of salt. . . Nigerians are comedians!

In any case, I am not expecting much out of Ibori's prosecution in the UK - the AGF will find one way or other to scuttle the
case. In the past, there was neither the will nor the agency dedicated to fighting corruption in Nigeria. Today, the agency
is there, but the government appears to be lacking in resolve. Nigeria, it seems, will continue to grope in the dark.

LOL. . .dats true tho! I jus pity d pple of d region. . .Ibori + Odili + Igbinedion can bring a country down in one yr!

Well done to the AGF for clarifying matters, Na wa o, was it not only yesterday I wrote in his support regarding him thwarting the Brits from peddling with Nigerian business. This is an excerpt of what he had to say yesterday regarding the Ibori issue.

“Media reporting would demonstrate globally that Nigeria is incapable of tackling corruption within its own jurisdiction and had to rely upon courts in other jurisdictions to prosecute such offences.


“Additionally, a trial in any other jurisdiction other than Nigeria would inevitably tarnish the image of Nigeria as a nation and send the message that the integrity of its criminal justice system cannot be relied upon.


“Again, the Metropolitan Police are claiming that they embarked on this investigation at the instance of Nigerian authorities to assist the Nigerian authorities, contrary to their earlier assertions that the investigation was not dependent on Nigeria,” he said.


The A-G also said sending Ibori for trial before a London court would amount to double standard. “To send James Ibori for trial to the UK while his peers— Orji Kalu, Nnamani, Turaki etc— are on trial in Nigeria will send strange signals of double standard.


“If James Ibori is truly guilty of the corruption alleged, he should be tried by a Nigerian court and ultimately become subject of Nigerian justice. This allows the people of Nigeria to see that justice is seen to be done which avoids the image of Nigeria being tarnished on an international stage.”


God bless the AGF, I beg let's wash our dirty linen in our own backyard! Shame on you Nuhu Ribadu, Shame on You .

Why UK can't try Ibori.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1995&Itemid=0

@bulutu

It's also good to see the Deltans resolving their differences i.e Clark, Uduaghan and Orubebe. As for Ogboru, the man would cut off his own nose to spite his face. Was he not the same person who tried to help babangida to get elected last year. I don't get it. What was the whole point of the 1990 coup? complete waste of space.

bukola88:

“Media reporting would demonstrate globally that Nigeria is incapable of tackling corruption within its own jurisdiction and had to rely upon courts in other jurisdictions to prosecute such offences.

@ bukola88, the above is almost very true, but is Nigeria not proving to be incapable of indicting its corrupt officials, hence the cry that its one sided. We have to hear of bribes from outside, theres no process of accountability in place, no checks and balance.

Please lets look at this thing without the glasses of tribal sentiments, if people are "witch hunting" Ibori what we call "winchin" God bless them, he should witch hunt them as well. Whats the alternative, back to the IBB era when it was since everyone is a thief so lets all enjoy. NO. Enough is enough, if it is starting from the south, so be it, it will get to the North, its already there anyway.

@ ono, i don't know the deltans you are talking to, maybe the compromised one that gained from the spree. Ibori did nothing compared to the resources at his disposal, please we've had that debate before, it doesnt hold. There are billions he can't account for, theres nothing like small thief, we wont walk on the metality that make he chop as long as he works, thats nonsense and could be used in the previous generation. I really am shocked at your utterances, always so compromised, always so ethnic inclined.

Do you guys look at the international world at all when attempting to make comparisons, these positions are serious issues, its not childs play, if you don't want the wahala, you have no business being there. You look at world leaders, you can see the stress on them, ours are looking ever young, travelling for health check up for things as little as a sprain, what level of irresponsibility can we tolerate again. God bless the EFCC, as long as that institution remains, it will go round, Ribadu wont be there tomorrow, the witch hunting will continue by Gods grace, if you don't want to be witch hunted keep a clean profile where nothing is against your name.

It is very unfortunate that it's the foriegn law enforcement agencies that always help us to dictate those who squander our commonwealth.

What is wrong with the Met Police trying someone who contravenes their existing laws? Why must we assume that it is tantamount to washing our dirty linens in the public. If these our shameless politicians don't go to their country with their stolen wealth, no one will arrest them, let alone prosecute them.

Are these politicians the only Nigerians that travel out of the country? Why can't they at least invest their wealth in Nigeria, if at all they have the goodwill of the people at heart. This will help our youths whom the they have stolen from to gain employment.

@Mamajama,
I don't understant what you meant by 'crank smoking', that notwithstanding, I will remain resolute about what I have said earlier concerning Ehindero and Adenuga. Adenuga has a lot of business concerns that employs thousands of Nigerians and foreigners. in case you don't know, Conoil, one of Adenuga's companies was registered sometime in 1982, then IBB wasn't the President. Therefore, it beats my imagination when you insinuated that IBB made Adenuga what he is today.

Unlike Ehindero who stole from the NPF's fund, Adenuga is a genuine business man. I bought BIG B1's interpretation of the Adenuga running away fron Nigeria. It's actually Nigeria running away from Adenuga.

At the right time, when the chickens will go home to roost, Sunday Gabriel Ehindero will account for his loot too! Today is for Ibori and co, tomorrow will be Ehindero and co.
Cheers

@iykrion:

Lately, I've been paying attention to your post and I must admit that I admire your state of mind; I think I know your true identity, which is also a very good thing.
Watch out for my email.


One love!

We need to wake up and learn how to deal with our problems at home instead of indirectly labelling the entire Nigerian citizens as criminals.

We need to respect our nation by treating our citizens with complete respect under every single circumstance, especially when they are away from home. This is the only way folks like Oprah wouldn't label us as thieves and jokers

Your dirty laundry needs to stay in your bedroom, not on top of your Television in the living room!

Oprah's opinion is not more important than the reality of hopelessness and despair that exist's in our country, besides Oprah's opinnion does not stem from the number of Nigerians prosecuted for corruption but the number of Naija boys involved in 419. These boys are largely engaing in 419 because their commonwealth has been looted by kleptomaniacs Ibori

If you think Oprah's opinion is only based on 419, then I'm sorry to inform you that you absolutely don't get it (I will leave that for another topic).

Dude, I've told you many times in the past and I will tell you again:
This is not just one neighborhood we are talking about; this is a nation for God sake.
You can not allow your emotions to get the best of you (one of the reasons for Ribadu's downfall). You must adopt long term solutions.
Yes, leaders are very corrupt in Nigeria, but we must employ our common sense to find a better strategy to effectively prosecute these folks without damaging our image or future in the eyes of the foreigners.

I say give Ibori an opportunity to answer or defend himself against all these allegations in Nigeria. It doesn't make sense to tackle this man in London without charging him with anything in Nigeria.
Afterall, he was a governor in Nigeria, not in England and the money he stole also belongs to Nigeria.

FYI: The kings of corruption are still  White Americans (if you don't believe me, you need to go to Dubai, Saudi A, Kuwait and Switzerland), but you will never witness them encouraging or promoting the prosecution of any of their corrupt citizens out of United States.

Do not allow our retarded ways of thinking to crucify our future or permanently tarnish the images of great Nigerians all over the world.

Mckren,
Nothing personal; you're a smart man, but you refuse to think broadly and also allow your emotions (hatred of corruption) to take over your intelligence.
There is no one promoting corruption here, but we must embrace doing what is right the right way and reject short cut solutions you seem to love so much.

So what is the long cut solution?

Suggesting that Ibori should not be probed because his forefathers has not been probe.

Or subscribing to the view that the war against corruption is targeted at the South

or Accepting that someone arrested for laundering Nigeria's money abroad should not be prosecuted because it is not in the interest of Nigeria to return our money

BigB1
If there is anyone being irrational here, I am afraid to say you are the one. Though am not too sure whats beclouding your reasoning.

Suggesting that Ibori should not be probed because his forefathers has not been probe

.


You missed it again; take your time and read my post over!

Leadership is endurance, diligence, tactfulness, guardianship, surety, inexhaustible and deep/ broadly thinking.

Leadership is not shortcut, visionless, illusion and absolutely not emotions.

McKren:

Oprah's opinion is not more important than the reality of hopelessness and despair that exist's in our country, besides Oprah's opinnion does not stem from the number of Nigerians prosecuted for corruption but the number of Naija boys involved in 419. These boys are largely engaing in 419 because their commonwealth has been looted by kleptomaniacs Ibori

What's the number of Nigerian boys engaged in 419? Don't you know that a lot of peolpe impersonate to carry out crimes? Majority of these criminals are not actually Nigerians but camerounians, etc.

It's easy to label any young fraudster a Nigerian, just as it is easy to see every female illegal immigrant into Italy as an Edo. All these assumptions are very absurd.

iykrion:

What's the number of Nigerian boys engaged in 419? Don't you know that a lot of peolpe impersonate to carry out crimes? Majority of these criminals are not actually Nigerians but camerounians, etc.

It's easy to label any young fraudster a Nigerian, just as it is easy to see every female illegal immigrant into Italy as an Edo. All these assumptions are very absurd.

A bit of a digression, but this 'absurdity' arises as a result of our poor identification system, and lack of ability to track and identify our citizens wherever they may be. If we could genuinely identify who is and who is not Nigerian, they we would probably have a better chance of discovering just how much of it originates from our shores/countrymen and women.

Nigeria no longer has any good image to protect. We have told the world in no uncertain words and action, that we are a country of rouges. The topmost elite are worst vagabonds we have.
The fish they say, rots from the head down. even our presidential jet was used to launder money to buy frivolous things in the US.

The AGF is talking out of his butt, to impress people who are gullible and operate based on misplaced plride and patriotism.
Lokk, our several governments have proven time and again, they have no inkling how nor the will to stop the wholesale corruption which permeated the very fabric of everything we know and cherich. If something is broken, what you do is to ask for help.

Nigerian thieves should not be protected by the Nigerian government. Instead they should be allowed to be tried and jailed in the countries where they have stached our monies.
Whether we agree or not, the foreign governments knbow and see what we lack and what ails us. They have been condussive in helping to steal our money in the pasr. Now that they are coming forward to help prosecute these mega thieves, we should help them in every way we can, no hinder the process.

This AGF has not been a friend of the government, he has proven to be a friend and abler of the thieves instead!!!!!!

@ Big B1, i also dont understand your point. Its not clear cut.

From my understanding please feel free to correct me if am wrong, Ibori should be tried in Nigeria ie allowed to defend himself, , the outside world has no business interferring in issues of Nigeria. Ribadu is really not acting on evidence he is acting based on emotions.

Please is this your point.

That Ibori already had his money, was only a mith.
PLS read the folowing:

Cover Story : Ibori's Loot
Posted by admin on 2007/11/19 11:13:17 (5076 reads)
Details of former Governor James Ibori’s financial scams and the ways he went about them in Delta are mind-boggling

By Ademola Adegbamigbe

As Reverend God-do-well Avwomakpa, the Delta State Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, reads this story, he is bound to experience some psychological trauma. This is because, as he would find out, his action will go down in history with the same infamy as some European chaplains who, apart from building places of worship at slave camps, accompanied and blessed ships that sailed to Africa, carrying human cargo to the United States and the West Indies, from where they brought molasses in their triangular trips back to Europe.

Avwomakpa, on 1 October 2007, presided over the thanksgiving service held at Government House, Asaba, the Delta State capital. It was in commemoration of the “victory” of former Governor James Ibori in his legal tango with a United Kingdom court over the former governor’s seized, illegally acquired assets. The subject of this religious service had, for eight years, turned Delta into one huge ship, the hull of which was filled with his subjects, living under slavish conditions, even as he appropriated their common wealth through a panoply of tricks and multifarious proxies.

The service was attended by Ibori’s first cousin and successor, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan; Mr. Olisa Imegwu, Speaker of the state House of Assembly; Ifeanyi Okowa, Secretary to the State Government, SSG; Professor G.G. Darah; Chief Ighoyota Amori; Chief Paulinus Akpeki and the Delta State Executive Council members.

At the occasion, Uduaghan said with eclat that Ibori was a wealthy man before he became governor of the state, adding that his 8-year tenure actually stalled his business interests. Ibori’s accusers, according to his successor, were only out to cause confusion in his political camp, which he had nurtured over the years. The Governor maintained that Ibori’s victory at the London court was not only for him but the entire people of Delta State.

A Southwark, London Crown court had earlier ordered that Ibori’s seized assets be immediately released. In a suit filed by Crime Prosecution Service, London, on 2 August 2007, the same court ordered the prevention of Ibori, Erin Aviation and others from having access to their assets in that country.

The benediction by Avwomakpa at Government House notwithstanding, Ibori’s victory ship hit an iceberg on 2 November. That day, the Federal High Court in Benin set aside the suit filed against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Federal Government by the Delta State government. The case was initiated to prevent the Commission, its Executive Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mike Aondoakaa from investigating the state’s finances, confiscating its accounts and arresting and investigating present and past officials of the state, especially Ibori.

Justice Gloria Okeke, the presiding judge, ruled that the EFCC Act gave the Commission wide powers. Thus, the court could not prevent it from investigating economic and financial crimes. By extension, the ruling meant the nullification of the interim order issued by the same court on 9 October, stopping EFCC from probing, arresting and detaining Ibori and other officials, past and present.

Moreover, the interim order was as a result of EFCC’s request that the Delta government supply it with information on documents relating to the state’s security votes, all contracts above N50 million, loans and contracts through irrevocable standing order or payments.

With this development, the EFCC has a load of allegations against Ibori for which it has vowed to dock the former governor.

Details of Ibori’s real estate acquisition could make the Egyptian Pharaohs turn in their tombs. Above all, the strategies the former governor adopted in siphoning the money would provide invaluable material for a Ph.D dissertation on illegitimate wealth acquisition. Indeed, Ibori is a record breaker.

What EFCC has against Ibori, after thorough investigation, are legion. First, Ibori, like a mafia boss, liked using a honeycomb of fronts in the form of blood relations, his officials and their companies, to milk his state. The Commission found out that Onovin Nigeria Limited, owned by Vincent Uduaghan, Governor Uduaghan’s younger brother, wired large sums of money to the account of Ibori’s sister, Christine Ibie, at HSBC London.

Onovin, the EFCC found out, was awarded a contract in December 2004 for laying of tartan tracks at Oghara Stadium. Ibori hails from Oghara, a town he has extensively transformed from a rustic settlement to a city well-appointed. The tartan track project gulped N142.9 million. Rather than execute the project directly, however, Onovin secured the services of BSW Postfach 1180, Deutscheland, a Germany-based firm.

Ribadu’s men stumbled on a strange coincidence at the period when Onovin wired 284,000 euros to the German company for the job. An equivalent of N77.8 million from the contract sum was transferred to the account of Ibori’s sister at HSBC. As a conduit pipe, Onovin proved that it was not made of plastic but galvanised materials. Between 2002 and 2007, the company siphoned a total of N350 million, which came in lodgements of N5 million and N7 million Delta State Government cheques.

When EFCC asked Vincent’s men what the lodgements were meant for, they claimed they were for payments for the supply of fuel to the Government House from Total Nigeria plc depot in Benin, Edo State. The Commission, however, revealed that Total, “which equally had the same contract for the supply of fuel to the Government House, denied having any dealings with Onovin Nig. Ltd, ”

The Commission further stumbled on another conduit pipe, in person of one Udoamaka Okoronkwo, Ibori’s mistress.

A total of N140 million, through three Assurance Bank drafts, was discovered transferred into her HSBC, London account. Her accounts, especially Sagicon Nigeria Limited, Rivbbed Agro-Allied, Saagaris Properties and Global Little Drops at Oceanic and Zenith banks showed many deposits of Delta State government cheques in the region of N2 billion. Out of the amount, N1.3 billion made a dramatic exit between May and December 2006.

Ibori’s private secretary, Ede Ogoro and Delta State Chief Accountant, Charles Isiayei, were discovered by EFCC to have received over N400 million through their personal and companies’ accounts. The Commission revealed that it further discovered other cash lodgements running into billions of naira made by the duo in concert with some bank officials into the accounts of Koln Nigeria Limited, Silhouette Travels, Prime Chambers, MER Engineering Limited, Bainenox Limited between 2001 and 2007.

They were, as the Commission explained, “purely drawn from the security votes of Delta State under the permanent secretary, Government House, Asaba.”

Investigations by the anti-corruption agency further revealed that Prime Chambers, owned by Professor Utuama, the present Deputy Governor, who was the Commissioner for Justice during the Ibori administration, was one of the beneficiaries of billions of naira cash lodgements. It was further discovered that Bainenox Limited’s account in the United Bank for Africa was operated by Chiedu Ibie, also a director of MER Engineering and Koln Nigeria Limited, allegedly owned by Ibori.

As Ibori scratched his chin and salivated over what he stole, he needed to soar beyond his fellow Deltans, far from where their eyes could see. With this eagle mindset, he needed a $25 million aircraft. His men entered into a transaction with Wings Aviation Parabola International Corporation, a Mauritius-based company owned by one of Ibori’s Zambian sidekicks, and Copex Management Service. The latter, another Mauritius firm, was engaged in the negotiation and received payments on behalf of Evin Aviation, Pamaron Oil and Gas and others.

Apart from a sum of $1 million paid by Paramon Oil and Gas Limited from Fidelity Bank to Arlington Sharmas, the UK solicitors, EFCC further found out that the transaction was made on the order of Bi-Courtney Limited, through another company, Flodan. The two firms which allegedly moved money for Ibori, using another company, BIADOXE Limited as a disguise, were, as the anti-corruption agency revealed, owned by the same person.

When EFCC investigated the acquisition of the National Fertiliser Company of Nigeria, it uncovered more irregularities. An example was how O-secul Nigeria Limited, owned by Mike Orugbo, bid for and acquired NAFCON in 2005 for $152 million. During the bid process, EFCC revealed that “Orugbo sourced for and paid $2 million to the company’s liquidators with a New Nigeria Bank cheque for the sum of N280 million issued sometime in August 2005.”

Despite the non-existence of any banking relationship between O-secul and Oceanic Bank, the latter, according to the Commission, raised the remaining money on behalf of O-secul for the acquisition of NAFCON. Ribadu’s men wondered why the bank “felt comfortable in granting the large facility to the company.”

It was also discovered that Oceanic Bank received $46 million via a certificate of capital importation from Copex Management Service. It was the same company that wired money to the UK solicitors on behalf of Erin Aviation. In the new deal, it wired money on behalf of Notore Mauritius for the acquisition of 39 per cent of NAFCON, which was renamed Notore Chemicals Industries Nigeria Limited.

Although Notore Mauritius claimed to be a group of foreign investors mainly from EMP, a US-based firm, and Egypt Fertiliser Company, EFCC found out that the two were “brought into the investment by the same UK solicitors, Arlington Sharmas, which also participated in the Ibori aircraft transaction. It was the legal firm that also handled the purchase of Ibori’s property at 42 Great Ground, Shaftbury, Dorset, U.K.

Another payment of N4.4 billion, as the anti-corruption agency found out, was received by Oceanic Bank from Brisbane Limited, through two Intercontinental Bank Manager cheques for acquisition of 13 per cent of the fertiliser company.

Henry Imasekha, owner of Berkeley Group of Companies, also owns Brisbane. When EFCC investigated the origin of the money paid to Brisbane, it found out that in 2001, Imasekha used Bromley Limited to “secure a loan of N2.2 billion from New Nigeria Bank without any collateral or evidence of previous banking relationship with the bank and purchased 10 per cent of Econet Nigeria Limited (now Celtel).”

A few weeks later, however, Delta State Government purchased 5 per cent of Econet (Celtel) shares from Bromley Limited for N2.5 billion via a Standard Trust Bank (now UBA) bank draft which he (Imasekha) used in settling the New Nigeria Bank facility. In 2006 when Celtel took over V-mobile, Bromley sold the remaining shares to Celtel and from the proceeds, it acquired 13 per cent of NAFCON.

Further probe of the Ibori government revealed that N5 billion share placements in Nigerian banks and companies from Delta State’s accounts in Oceanic and Zenith banks were diverted for the purchase of Afribank shares for Ibori. EFCC maintained that the fraudulent transactions were perpetrated through the use of 14 fake companies. Some of them were Double Dip Nigeria Limited, Arusha Nigeria Limited, Abajim Nigeria Limited, Lugba Nigeria Limited, Mombassa Nigeria Limited, Limpopo Nigeria Limited, Zaragoza Nigeria Limited and Sandton Nigeria Limited.

Fortunately for the Delta people, EFCC was able to stop the transaction and return the money to the state coffers.

Ibori also allegedly used his front, Imasekha, to divert funds to acquire Wilbros Nigeria Limited, a multinational oil servicing firm in Port Harcourt in 2006. Imasekha bought it for $155 million, using his new company, Ascort Offshore Nigeria Limited.

The Commission was also able to establish other massive fraud and theft of public funds against Ibori. He allegedly did this in collaboration with the state House of Assembly, “using supplementary budget as disguise,” EFCC maintained. The Commission revealed that supplementary appropriation was sent to the state legislature for approval of over N40 billion between 1999 and 2005. This, it revealed, was “accompanied with executive letters, all dated 2004, signed by Chief Ibori for requests. The proceeds of this massive fraud are currently being traced.” Worse still, EFCC found out that several billions of naira, meant as “security vote” for the Delta State Government from 1999 to 2007, were “diverted by Ibori and his collaborators.”

One of Ibori’s major proxies, his wife, Mrs. Theresa Nkoyo Ibori, was arrested at Heathrow Airport on 1 November 2007 when she wanted to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to Lagos. Her arrest, according to the Metropolitan Police, was in “connection with an on-going money-laundering enquiry.” Although she was released on bail, she has a date with the British police in January 2008. But the Delta State liaison officer in Lagos, Michael Ujiagbedion, lamented that after two years of investigation, which has produced no evidence against Chief Ibori, “the utterly embarrassed British authorities have now resorted to humiliating a law-abiding British citizen (Nkoyo Ibori)”.

Ujiagbedion maintained that it is noteworthly that Nkoyo Ibori who owns properties and has lived in London for decades has never had any brush with the law. “She was never declared wanted or had her movement restricted. Her home in London is known to the police who should have ordinarily invited her if a need arises for such invitation,” Ujiagbedion argued, declaring that the woman is innocent of any crime.

Essentially, EFCC affirmed that Ibori declared when he became governor that he owned only four properties, valued at N100 million, which he acquired between 1995 and 1999. He also claimed that he owned seven plots of land which he acquired between 1983 and 2000 and put their value at N5 million. However, all these have paled into insignificance, considering all the properties owned by the former governor in Nigeria, United Kingdom and United States.

Saharareporters, an internet investigative outfit, detailed the assets of Ibori all over the globe. In the UK, the former Delta governor owns the $2.3 million property on Number 7 Westover Hill, London. Its title number is MX 2078021. The UK land registry revealed that the building was registered to Haleway Properties Limited, registered in Gibralter by BC Centrum, a company based at 788 Finchley Road, London. Haleway, the investigators found out, is owned by Ibori and his wife.

Another property, worth $750,000, with title number NGL 699019, situated at 20 Abbey Road, London NW89BJ, is owned by the former Delta governor. After an initial payment of $157,000 in 1999, Ibori made another settlement of $90,000 on 12 April 2000 and $70,081 on 25 July 2000.

If Saharareporters thought it had unearthed Ibori’s stimking can of worms, it was mistaken. It would later stumble on some catacombs full of rattlesnakes. Ibori allegedly used another front company, Telaton Quays Limited, to acquire another real estate investment at 42 Great Ground, Shaftbury, Dorset SP78FF. Registered with title number DT 32 G978, the $298,995 property was negotiated by Mr. Bhadresh Gohil of Arlington Shamas Solicitors. James Ibori made the payment through Udoamaka Okoronkwo, his mistress, on 20 July 2005.

For her effort and for delivering a child for Ibori, the politician bought her the property at 71 Mayflower Lodge, Regent Park Road, London N33HX. Abbey National Building Society received the mortgage through an HSBC current account number 21228420.

The former Delta governor’s sister, Ibie Ibori, lives at 76 Woodhill Crescent, Kenton, Harrow, Middlesex HA3 OLZ, a $475,000 property which belongs to him.

In spite of his kleptomania, Ibori believes in the motivational talk that money should work for its owner. With regard to this, he and Theresa, his wife, own Boyd, a property company in London. It is managed by BC Centrum of 788 Finchley Road, London, the investigators revealed.

To enable him have a firm grip on the company, the former governor, on 23 March 2004, appointed his mistress, Udoamaka, to act on Boyd Properties Limited. She was, the investigators maintained, given authority “to sign documents relating to sales and purchases of assets by the company.” The company allegedly paid $388,077 to Peter Brown, solicitors, to acquire the property at 36 Hunter Lodge, Calton Gate, Maidavale, London W9 3TQ through an HSBC account number 91310801. Saharareporters maintained that Adebimpe Pogoson, who “was hired by Ibori under the name of Miss Bimpe Faloye in 1997 while he was the publisher of Diet Newspaper, is a player in Ibori’s real estate deals.”

When EFCC was tracking down Ibori’s immovable investments, Bimpe moved from her 58 Uphill Drive residence to Flat 39, Barons Court, owned by Ibie Ibori, the investigators added.

Ibori also has properties in Nigeria. He allegedly bought the 21 Idejo Street property, off Adeola Odeku, Victoria Island in the name of his sister, Ibie. There are also a twin-duplex at 21 Probyn Road, off Bourdillon, Ikoyi, which the former governor purchased from G Cappa, a construction company; the property at 18A Adeyemi Lawson Road, Macpherson Avenue, Ikoyi and the one at 10A, B&C Turnbill Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Adebimpe Pogoson, according to Saharareporters, issued a N20 million Assurance Bank cheque on 9 December 2003 to Diya Fatimilehin and Co for part-payment of Plot 5 Block 4 Layi Ajayi Bembe Street, off Turnbill Road, Ikoyi.

Ibori’s real estate conquest extended as far as the United States. He, according to Sahararareporters, invested through HFA Development Group, making use of Citibank account numbers 3200056255 and 266086554. The bank is based at 1600 Coral Way, Miami, Florida.

Primi LCC is another company that Ibori relied on for his money laundering. His conduit was the Bank of America through account number 003677025981. One Segun Fawora who lives in a $750,000 seaside mansion on Aventura Avenue, Miami, was (and still is) the coordinator of Ibori’s Florida estate.

The former Governor, the investigators unearthed, owns Bond Technologies which, on 8 December 2003, received a transfer of $74,000 from Ibori’s KOLN account number 109091012 at Gulf Bank in Nigeria.

To further authenticate Ibori’s loot, Paul Gardner, a financial investigator, accredited by the Director of Asset Recovery Agency, swore to an affidavit, a copy of which was provided by Saharareporters at Crown Court, Southwark, UK on 30 July 2007.

Gardner revealed a number of companies that have links with Ibori, describing Telethon Onaye Limited and Erin Aviation as “investment vehicles for Ibori”. The former governor is also the owner of Stenhope Investment Limited, Polynesia and the Julex Foundation, Panama. Although Ibori ceased being a director of MER Engineering company in 1999, Gardner said “funds from the company continued to be transferred to accounts owned and controlled by James Ibori”. The British financial investigator added that Ibori is the beneficial owner of Parabola International Corporation, Mauritius.

Gardner further exposed how Ibori spent 406,000 euros to buy a Mercedes Benz vehicle, VRM XC05 AAM. The payment was made by Stanhope Investment. “This vehicle was armour-plated and was subsequently transported to South Africa,” he asserted.

Keeping tab on these cross-continental investments, at a time when money launderers are haunted like rabbits, needs some subterfuge. And Ibori’s proxies have such in dump trucks. Tinuola Faloye, as revealed by Saharareports, sent an electronic mail to Bimpe Pogoson (nee Faloye) on 13 July 2005, detailing how some bank officials helped Ibori to destroy records of financial transactions.

Tinuola explained a delay she encountered because officials of Citizens Bank had been reluctant to reprint them for her “as this will require recalling the files we told them to get rid of back into the system.” She claimed to have held a meeting with Ibie Ibori, Davidson and David Edevbie, Delta State Commissioner for Finance and Ibori himself over the EFCC affair. She counselled: “There is no point trying to hide a connection between the companies, as these people (EFCC) have most of the information. Some people seem to be of the impression that we were simply too careless, ” Tinuola was trying to explain why it was no longer possible to keep Ibori’s links with all these individual and corporate proxies secret any longer. Rather, she attributed their exposure to multiple areas of carelessness.

First, she revealed that there were some cash payments to some people: Banke, Koln, Alcac, Harefe, Emma Okafor and Bola. “Oga’s Econet (now Celtel) bills,” she lamented, “were paid with Koln cheques, establishing a link with Oga (Ibori).”

She complained further that payments were made from Charter House to Alcac which may entail the invitation of Alcac Platinum and Bay Projects, companies that were linked to Ibori. Tinuola added that if EFCC or international investigators looked for Koln and Harefe in NNB, it would lead to more accounts being called up.

Tinuola bemoaned the fact that Ibie and she were “signatories to all these accounts, [which] just complicates things”. She added that it was fruitless trying to “sort out,” as Charter House from Abuja “as they (EFCC) have the incorporation documents.”

Tinuola was unhappy that in their foolishness, Ibori’s fronts did not pay cash for all transactions, but cheques which might require that many accounts be called up. She mentioned some companies like Silhouette and Paulina which might be traced to Ibori through the process.

Tinuola, however, assured Bimpe Pogoson that there was still some hope. In her words: “I was in NNB for a few hours yesterday and I went back there today. Davidson and Chinedu think there is no point but were able to get some things deleted from the statements and I will continue trying.” She assured Pogoson that she would soon meet Ibori with bank statements of Harefe, Alcac, Koln, Charter House and Bay Projects and would report back on what transpired.

Alcac, as the investigators revealed, is a company registered in Nigeria (RC 380602) which claimed to manufacture exercise books. Harefe, on the other hand, is Ibori’s printing press.

Is it possible for Ibori’s men to delete all bank transactions involving him? Absolutely not, his critics argued.

In its 23 February edition, Insider, a weekly magazine, revealed how Ibori used an account (PB1001) with a new generation bank to defraud his state. The account was found to be in deficit of N1billion, but it was discovered to be a smokescreen. The bank actually, according to the report, “permitted these withdrawals as up-front commission payments to Ibori in return for lodging a portion of the statutory allocation of Delta State from the Federation Account.”

Here is how. Whenever the monthly N5 billion allocation of Delta was released by the Central Bank of Nigeria, it was deposited at another first generation bank where, in line with the former governor’s instruction, N2.5 billion would be transferred to the special account PB1001. Not only that, Ibori was alleged to be in the habit of fixing the transfer for three months, the interest proceeds of which he used to offset his usual N1 billion overdraft at his special bank.

Beyond trying to delete bank transactions, Ibori has been adopting a lot of stratagems to evade justice. For instance, when the Southwark Crown court froze Ibori’s over $25 million assets in the UK on 2 August 2007, the former Delta governor used his influence with the President Yar’Adua government to get off the hook.

Swiftly, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, who seems to enjoy stirring controversy, wrote a letter, reference number IFT/JAT/316533, on 4 August, claiming that there was no record that Ibori “has been charged to any court of law in Nigeria in respect of any offence relating to money laundering or any offences in connection with his acts and activities whilst in office as governor of Delta State between 29 May 1999 and 29 May 2007.”

Aondoakaa’s gesture attracted flak from the critical section of the Nigerian society. According to Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-cultural group, the Attorney-General’s letter must be investigated. The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, considered it a hidden agenda by President Yar’Adua to “cover up the monumental graft which is the metaphor of the past administration.”

But Aondoakaa defended himself that he wrote a letter, replying to a request by Ibori’s counsel, Lam Timlin and Julie Thrower of City Dispute Resolution Solicitors London.

Another strategy adopted by Ibori to evade justice was, according to critics, his huge investment in the election of President Yar’Adua. But the new Nigerian leader disappointed Ibori, who has since voted with his feet.

What other way to define Money laundering but the above epistle.

It makes the official definition below inaccurate and misleading.

"Money laundering is the practice of engaging in financial transactions in order to conceal the identity, source, and/or destination of money, and is a main operation of the underground economy."

Common thiefs, that what these guys are.

I pray more will follow, it definately will deter others, the scale will come down, and some clowns say EFCC is doing nothing, do you know the time and resources it talke to unrival all this connections.

some clowns say EFCC is doing nothing, do you know the time and resources it talke to unrival all this connections.

Also there are some fools that are quick to settle for absolutely nothing (an easy way of thinking).

Unraveling the connections is one thing, making something constructive of it is another thing.

Nobody is castigating EFCC, all we are asking for is for this organization to do what is right the right way.

It seems that they continue to do what is right the wrong way and this is what is killing them and why they find it very difficult to accomplish anything successfully. In fact, EFCC has only one enemy, and the name of this single enemy is EFCC.

There are 2 ways of doing things; we have the appropriate way and the inappropriate way. EFCC has selected the inappropriate way, and till they change this senseless way their effort in fighting war against corruption effectively and efficiently in Nigeria remains fruitless.

It is that simple, my brother!

efcc if well interpreted, is mearnt for the betterment of nigeria and not a group.
this war must be for everyone and not just the selected few.
the idea of going after minor thieves while the federal criminals are there still keep nigeria where they are and that is why the war is not reflecting in our economy.
if for instance, efcc has presecuted 100 politicians since inception, i am here to tell u that just one politician can offer more than what the 100 have offered.
efcc knows who they are but what we don't know is what they are waiting for.
if only abacha was that productive among other presidents, then multiply abacha's loots by 4 and tell us what we as a people will have.
the issue of kalu this ibori that is decieving. the big fishes are there and are still encouraging more loots because the tag untouchables are still on their neck and we are here celebrating a pee nut from minor criminals who are used as excape goats.
a well taken kick on the stomach of obj will force a vomit of unbelievable cicumstances which nigeria will benefit from.
who is praising efcc for alams when we had more than 36 govs who committed the same crime? what exactly is the bases for persecuting govs and presidents.
most people who looted during obj's regime are still king makers or do i need to mention the names of andy uba, bode george, tony annenih and the longer lists of looters.
did marwa not refund some loots in the eve of his presidential ambition and why is he still among our leaders?
it is all jokes

Selected thief!

Is Ibori a thief?

Yes he is. Simple arithmetic!

@Ono

You are one of the Pro-Alams, so not really suprised by your stand on this as well.

@Poster, I do not know of the man personally and do not have much information to make me believe he is guilty or not. But I do know that I hope he goes to trial and justice be served. I do know we have too many thieves in the system and welcome any method to help flush them all out and if the witch hunt has to start with this man, so be it. If he is innocent or guilty, I hope he gets a fair trial.

The chronicle of Ibori's loot as depicted by Bankole01 readily brings to mind the one for Alamieyeseigha. At the time, I thought Alams actually stole the entire country blind. What with the story about his $44 mln birthday bash for his daughter in London, his ownership of some phony companies, expensive lifestyles etc etc. I later discussed with a former police aide of Alams who told me all I should know about the whole Alams saga. And, my, was I dazed at his story?!

All the hullabaloo about Ibori's loot will soon fade away just the way it did with Alams. Nigerians generally like getting carried away by the euphoria of the moment. The newspapers people have been waiting for this ''special moment'' to make cheap money from gullible Nigerians. Nigerians don't know that Alams is always in touch with Yaradua right from his Amassoma country home, and that the real looters of the nation are the ones they look up to for direction. Pity.

@ Poster

The Nigerian system has so traumatised the people so much that a whole lot of us can not think straight any more. Your post points to a clear warped sense of thinking. We Nigerians are a funny lot, if government moves against treasury looters, some people will read tribal sentiments to it, if the government "siddon dey look" we will castigate the govt for not taking action. Why on earth would someone says he is in support of Ibori or any looter for that matter! I think we need to take a common stand against our treasury looters be it a southerner, or a northerner, easterner or westerner, middle belter or south-southerner. The collective actions of all these people have contributed to the present situation of poverty and underdevelopment that we are all experiencing now.


Please read the story below, you'll discover the personality of James Ibori even before he became governor (and thats the period you were refering to as when he made his money)


As Ibori’s Trial Begins, Startling Revelations Surface About His Two Convictions in London

Last View on Fri 14th December, 2007
Last Modified on Thu 13th December, 2007 8:45:44 pm
Author: Posted by Admin Sahara
Saharareporters, New York
Dateline: Abuja, December 13, 2007

More facts are now emerging from the UK over the fraudulent life history of James Ibori and his wife, Theresa Nkoyo Ibori (nee Nakanda).

Saharareporters investigators have unearthed never-before-published information about Ibori's criminal past in London in the early 1990's.

According to UK court documents obtained by Saharareporters, James Ibori was twice convicted for stealing and dishonest acts by UK courts in 1991 and 1992.

In his first trial, his then girlfriend (now wife), Theresa Nakanda, was convicted along with Mr. Ibori on January 25, 1991 at the Isleworth Crown Court in London.

In that trial, Theresa Nakanda, who gave her date of birth as January 5th 1968, was convicted on two counts and fined £300 and £450. James Ibori, who, according to court documents, gave his date of birth as August 4th 1962, was also fined in the same amounts. At the time of his conviction, Ibori lived in the Middlesex area of London.

Ibori (who used "Obori" as his last name) was working as store cashier in London with Wickes, a home improvement chain. The court case charged that Ibori aided his girlfriend, Theresa Nakanda, to steal building materials from the store over a period of time.According to the prosecutors, Ms. Nakanda would come into the store where Ibori was a cashier to “buy” building materials and Ibori, as the cashier, would act as if she had paid for the products by checking her out through his cashier slot. She never paid.

Court details revealed that Ibori and his girlfriend carried on their defrauding of Wickes for a long period of time. Unknown to them, security cameras monitored their activities and, sometime in 1991, policemen were called in to arrest both Ibori and Theresa Nakanda. The Isleworth Crown Court convicted them both for stealing. They were let go after paying 300 and 450 pounds each as fines for stealing and dishonest acts.

Despite that conviction, Ibori continued his acts of fraud in the UK. In 1992 he was arrested for using an American Express Gold credit card stolen from another person. He was tried at the Clerkenwell Magistrate’s Court and convicted for stealing and credit card fraud. Again, the court imposed fines of £300 and £400 respectively as penalty.

Ironically, a man named James Ibori—and widely believed to be the ex-governor of Delta State—was in 1995 convicted by a Bwari Magistrate court in Abuja for stealing building materials.

However, when two citizens of Delta State challenged Ibori’s competence to run for governorship by drawing attention to his conviction, the former governor, according to a lawyer who asked not to be named, heavily bribed judges of the Federal Appeals Court as well as justices of the Supreme Court.
“The judges who handled the case ignored obvious testimonies by the judge who convicted Ibori, and ruled that Governor James Ibori was not the same James Ibori who was convicted,” said the lawyer. “It was a sad moment for the Nigerian judiciary. It was as if there was another James Ibori out there. The judges knew better. There is no other Ibori who was convicted apart from the man who was governor. Nobody has ever heard of or seen the other ‘Ibori’. He doesn’t exist.”

Ibori’s reputation as a big briber may now complicate his case before a Federal High Court in Kaduna where he was yesterday charged on more than a hundred counts of corruption, graft and money laundering.

In May, 2007, Ibori tried to bribe Nuhu Ribadu, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, with $15 million in order to persuade the commission to drop corruption charges against him.

Saharareporters learnt that several staff members of Ibori’s staff delivered the staggering amount to Ribadu’s Abuja home in cash. Unknown to Ibori, EFCC operatives secured the money to use it to bolster their case before the Kaduna Federal High Court.

Ibori’s criminal past in London seemed to prepare him for dabbling in the bloodier assignment of working undercover for the repressive regime led by the late General Sani Abacha.

Records show that, soon after Ibori’s second conviction, he slipped out of the UK and returned to Nigeria where he joined hands with the military regime that was badly in need of underground killers during Abacha's reign of terror.
Ibori has been fingered in the assassination of Pa Alfred Rewane, one of the most outspoken critics of Abacha’s rule. Ibori reportedly led the killer gang that shot Pa Rewane, a financier of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), in the early days of Abacha’s murderous reign.

Ibori was handsomely rewarded by Abacha and Major al Mustapha, the ex-dictator’s chief security officer. Funded by Abacha, James Ibori started Diet newspapers in Lagos. In order to pave the way for Diet newspaper to thrive, Abacha clamped down on major Lagos-based newspapers, including the Guardian and Punch. However, when Abacha needed to frame up journalists for a coup plot, Ibori was quick to sacrifice one of his editors named Niran Malaolu to the Abacha government. Malaoulu was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Abacha regime for plotting to overthrow the government.
Ibori may have confessed to EFCC investigators about his UK convictions, according to a source privy to his interrogations.

Armed with information on Ibori's prior convictions, security agencies in Nigeria have requested the Interpol to compile and secure a database of Nigerians convicted for criminal activities in the U.S. and Europe. The database may be used to run background checks on serving political office holders.

Two lawmakers of the National Assembly, a Senator from the South Eastern state of Anambra, Annie Okonkwo who was allegedly convicted on drug charges in the US and Doris Uboh (convicted for credit card fraud with her brother) who represents Ika federal constituency of Delta State are said to be scared stiff about the desire of the FBI to send a database of convicted US-based Nigerian criminals to their Nigerian security counterparts.

http://www.saharareporters.com/www/news/detail/?id=455

I COMMEND the British authorities for their tenacity in the Ibori investigation. The AGF, with his judicial militantancy and misplaced nationalist pletitude is making a fool of himself. They are only doing what their laws empowers them to do (something our leaders have neither the will nor the capacity to do)

Let's for a second even discount Ibori's source of wealth. Assuming he had invested his loot in people oriented ventures, maybe he would not have been in as much of a mess. As a Deltan, I can tell you authoritatively, that Ibori empowered only a very few whilst a majority wallowed in poverty, in state so richly blessed. Very soon, Togo will be trying Nigerians for money laundering, because our leaders are too clueless, backward and compromised to act.

BTW, don't expect much to come out of the Ibori case in Nigeria. The AGF still has a few "rule of law" obstacles to put up. The worst that can happen to him in Nigeria is some form of restitution and a slap on the wrist. Therefore, I'll continue to look to the British authorities for the punishment that he deserves, that will hurt him the most - a custodial sentence and furteiture of all his assets in the UK.

I personally don't believe everything posted as news by Sahara reporters. . . . . . . and I believe I'm not alone.

I'm not a firm believer in Sahara either, but the EFCC counsel noted that Ibori had 2 prior Uk convictions and I don't think they got their information from Sahara so there is likely some truth in the matter.

I just read that NANS (which is supposed to be the umbrella body of Nigerian students) is calling for Ibori's release. I am really scared for my country.

It is all this 'chop i chop' mentality that irritates me. A fraudulent governor is being arrested and people are calling for his release. Its a shame!

These bastards run the country like their own and people die from lack of everything and people still support them because of extra money.

why can't the poster of the thread imagine that if all politicians ran the country well there will be no need for him to 'bootlick' these criminals and condone misrule. The basic necessities for him to progress will be available honestly