Following a formal directive from Ogbonna Onovo, inspector general of police, the top echelon of the police has been mobilized to effect the arrest of James Onanefe Ibori, former governor of Delta State. As a first line measure, the retinue of armed policemen guarding Ibori has been withdrawn. The exercise is being coordinated by Ekpo Udom, deputy inspector general of Police who is currently on special duty in Delta State. He is being assisted by the assistant inspector general of Police in charge of Zone 5 and the Delta State Commissioner of Police.
Emmanuel Ojukwu, force public relations officer, confirmed the development to BusinessDay. The order by Onovo apparently followed complaints by Farida Waziri, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of the inability of operatives of the anti-graft agency to effect Ibori’s arrest as a result of the heavy security that was built around the former governor. He was said to be guarded by anti-riot policemen and other security men.
Ibori was declared wanted last week by the EFCC following a petition by the Delta Elders Forum led by Edwin K. Clark, a prominent Ijaw leader and one time minister of information.
The Delta elders had alleged that Ibori sold 520 million shares of Oceanic Bank plc belonging to Delta State Government and used the proceeds to service a N44 billion loan obtained by his company, Ascot Offshore Nigeria Limited. Ascot bought over Wilbros, an American company based in Port Harcourt. Wilbros had divested from the Nigeria operations a few years ago paving the way for Ascot to buy the Nigerian subsidiary.
Yesterday, Ibori alleged that Acting President Goodluck Jonathan had ordered Onovo to effect his arrest allegedly in defiance of a restraining order by a Federal High Court.
In a statement made available to BusinessDay and signed by Tony Eluemunor, his media assistant, the former governor said Justice I. N. Buba of the Federal High Court, Asaba, had ordered both parties to maintain the status quo pending determination of the suit filed by him in which he (Ibori) is seeking an interim order restraining the EFCC from arresting him.
However, Buba, according to media reports, has denied that he granted the interim order sought by Ibori’s counsel, Augustine Alegeh (SAN). Some papers (BusinessDay not included) had reported last Friday that he granted an interim order. The judge described the report as false and malicious.