Ibori’s Travails And The Fight Against Corruption
News about the Dubai authorities granting the British government’s request for the extradition of Nigeria’s most wanted fugitive, James Onanefe Ibori, to the United Kingdom for trial over charges of money laundering, credit card fraud and official theft came as a pleasant surprise to many who had thought that one of Nigeria’s former governors had escaped justice by fleeing to the United Arab Emirates.
In the heat of EFCC’s move to arrest him last April, Ibori mobilised his supporters who fought back and attacked the police sent to arrest him in his Oghara, Delta State, country home.
He fled to Dubai where he was arrested by the Dubai authorities on 13 May after he was declared wanted in the United Kingdom by the Metropolitan Police. He was granted bail almost immediately and he continued to live in the country.
The former Delta State governor was declared wanted by the UK police following the trial of his wife, Theresa Nkoyo and his lawyer, Bhadresh Gohil before the Southwark Crown Court in London.
The British police, just like the EFCC, had accused Ibori of selling V-mobile (now Zain) shares belonging to the Delta State government and using the money to benefit himself. He was also accused of laundering the money through British banks.
Even though he denied all these allegations, he refused to surrender himself for investigation. This made the EFCC to declare him wanted after all efforts to locate his whereabouts proved abortive. His accomplices, Christine Ibie-Ibori and mistress, Udoamaka Okoronkwo have already been convicted by a UK court for assisting him to launder over 70 million pounds.
Now that the British request for his extradition to UK to face trial has been granted by a Dubai court, it is hoped that Ibori will be taken to UK and made to face justice. His arraignment in the court will further boost the anti-corruption crusade of the present administration and give filip to the saying that nobody is above the law.
Ibori’s atrocities against Delta State and, specifically, our country, needs no recounting here. What is paramount is that he should be made to face the law and punished accordingly. His travails in Dubai should serve as a lesson to others of his ilk that no matter how long and no matter where they run to, the long arm of the law will catch up with them.
The EFCC alleged that Ibori stole 292 million dollars from public coffers during his eight year tenure as governor of Delta State. This is no small money. The stolen money is enough to build three fully equipped general hospitals in Delta State and also rehabilitate most of the roads and schools in the state.
But instead of using the money to serve the people like he pledged when taking the oath of office as governor of Delta State, he allegedly diverted the money for his personal use. He should be tried and made to pay for his action. His prosecution will also serve as a deterrent to other public office holders who have turned public offices into their private company, managing it as if nobody can call them to question. Public office is a public trust and should be managed with all sense of responsibility, accountability and transparency.
Comments