There seems to be no hiding place for corrupt politicians in the country. The London Metropo-litan Police said yesterday that they would follow suit in the clampdown against some former governors by digging into the activities of all former Nigerian officials for a period spanning ten years of their stewardship.
THISDAY checks last night revealed that the former Nigerian officials whose activities the Met police were beaming their searchlight on included at least three immediate past governors.
In the last six weeks, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been arraigning some former governors in court for alleged corrupt practices while in office.
According to an official statement by the Met Police, �Anyone linked to money laundering and other financial corrupt practices, would not only be arrested and tried, but would have such monies, assets and property seized.”
In the statement, the Met police said all the money recovered would be returned to the Nigerian authorities.
The probe would follow the due procedure based on the justice system and human rights, authorities in UK said last night.
Yesterday�s statement by the Met Police is a further indication that the war against corruption is now borderless.
Authorities in the UK had in the past helped in apprehending some governors and their accomplices allegedly caught with large sums of money believed to be stolen from the coffers of their states.
Notable among them is former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyesiegha, who was arrested in London in 2005 for alleged money laundering.
He later escaped from detention in the country and emerged in Nigeria shortly before he was impeached from office.
Also, the former governor of Plateau State, Chief Joshua Dariye, is wanted in Britain on suspicion of money-laundering.
Police recovered �93,000 in cash from his hotel rooms and later found he had purchased property worth millions of pounds even though his legitimate earnings amounted to �40,000 a year.
He was charged with money laundering but he jumped bail and returned to Nigeria, where as a serving governor, he had immunity from prosecution.
In April this year, a British court sentenced a Nigerian woman to three years in jail for laundering �1.4 million of Dariye’s stolen funds.
British authorities have already returned part of those funds to Nigeria.
Not less than six immediate past governors have had their days in court for alleged corrupt practices while in office.
Some of the ex-governors were admitted to bail but with stringent conditions while others were denied bail based on the gravity of their offences.
Aug32007