The stage appears set for a fatal confrontation between the security agencies and supporters of wanted former Delta State Governor James Ibori.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked him to come out of hiding – if he is clean. But, Ibori is insisting on his rights.
An Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and a truckload of mobile policemen were yesterday deployed to Koko, an adjoining community to Oghara, Ibori’s hometown, where he is believed to be hiding.
Two other contingents of policemen were stationed at the town’s entrance and at the Oghara Township Stadium.
The massive deployment of men and materials may not be unconnected with the youths of the town’s prevention of Ibori’s arrest on Tuesday.
Sources said: “There is tension as everybody is afraid, with the huge security presence in such a small town”.
Traditional warriors known as “Igbu” are said to be keeping vigil in Ibori’s country home to prevent his arrest.
“We do not support corruption but it is very clear that EFCC is being used to settle political scores with Ibori. We will not allow this to happen in Delta State. We will not allow this to happen in Niger Delta.
“Why is Ibori’s case so different? It is on record that Ibori has already been charged to court and the case dismissed. EFCC should appeal that case and follow the rule of law,” one of them, Daddy Mukoro, said, adding:
“We will provide security to him for free, not because we condone criminality but because we are convinced that this is nothing but political persecution and we will resist it. E.K Clark cannot use EFCC to settle political scores.”
Some militants have also threatened to declare “war” over alleged poor execution of the amnesty programme and EFCC’s attempt to seize Ibori.
Ibori is wanted for alleged fraud.
A source said, “This is a new dimension to the Ibori saga, as the ‘boys’ are now agitated over the poor execution of the amnesty programme and the continued political witch-hunt of the former governor.
“In a few days, you will hear, we are going to strike not because of Ibori alone but because some Federal agents are sitting on our allowances and using our pay to fund the EFFC to hunt our mentor.”
Former militant warlord Olotu-Olotu warned: “Once we hear Ibori is arrested, we are going to start blowing pipelines and make the Niger Delta ungovernable.”
Asking Ibori to come out of hiding, EFCC chair Mrs Farida Waziri said: “You can see that we went there (Oghara) with the assistance of the police; the militants chased us out.
“Nobody should be above the laws of the land. And I feel that if your hands are clean, you should come up and go to court and clear your name. Isn’t it?
“Where you make it impossible and you say you are above the law, you can’t even answer a call by the law enforcement agencies to come and clear some issues/situations; it is a pity.”
Asked what the EFCC will do since Ibori has refused to come out of hiding, she replied: “Well, we are going back to the drawing board with the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, and then we will know the next step.”
Mrs Waziri, who spoke after receiving a petition against Governor Babatunde Fashola by a group, The True Face of Lagos, also reacted to the criticisms of EFCC by the National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau.
She said: “Well, I don’t think he said that.
“I was at the meeting where he was quoted to have said all that. But on the issue of selectivity, I don’t think crime is committed on the basis of Federal Character.
“I can’t say a Yoruba man commits a crime, I should wait for an Ibo man or Hausa man to commit the crime before I go to court.
“There is no issue of selectivity. Definitely, we are not being selective. If we have no case against you, we won’t even arrest you in the first place. We get our facts before we write the script.
“The arrest of the suspect comes last. This is in tandem with international best practices.”
At press time last night, a source claimed that EFCC and the police had discovered that Ibori may have relocated from Oghara to Escravos.
The source added: “We just got information that Ibori might have moved away from Oghara to Escravos.”
“But we are still on his trail, there is no hiding place for him. If he is in Escarvos, we will surely get him.”
But Ibori’s Media Assistant, Tony Eluemunor, denied the relocation of his boss to Escravos, although he was not forthcoming on his whereabouts.
Eluemunor said: “There are many wild allegations flying about. I don’t know anything about that (relocation).
On Mrs Waziri’s comments, Eluemunor said: “There is a court ruling by the Federal High Court, Asaba on Monday that the status quo be maintained. The EFCC lawyer was there; he promised that they would maintain the status quo.
“We stand by that court ruling and we trust that the EFCC chair, who is a lawyer and has been a police officer of very high standing and has much respect in the society, will respect the ruling.
“She knows the right thing to do relating to the court ruling both as a lawyer and a very highly-regarded law officer.”
He added: “Even as the Nigerian security agencies continue to spit on the court ruling on the Ibori versus EFCC case, Chief James Onanefe Ibori reiterated that he neither sponsors nor makes use of militants.
“Chief Ibori would also let the world know that the Police, State Security Service and EFCC have all been served with the ruling of the Asaba Federal High Court, which asked that the status quo be maintained, even as it accepted the undertaking of EFCC’s counsel, Mr. C. Okoromah, that the EFCC would not attempt to arrest Ibori.
“He also added that no militant or any group engaged security agents in any fight as the Oghara people are peace-loving and law-abiding. He said he is afraid that the falsehood may be an excuse for the security agencies to visit mayhem on defenceless civilians, especially the children and women of Oghara town.
“Therefore, we categorically refute the unfounded allegation that militants disturbed the policemen who stormed Oghara on Tuesday 20th April, 2010.
“This sort of allegation is on its second life-cycle. It would be recalled that when the earlier Ibori versus EFCC case opened in Kaduna in December of 2007, the same wild allegation gained currency. It was brought up then at the court by the EFCC that was hell-bent on getting the court to deny Ibori bail.
“After the Federal High Court, Asaba, exonerated Ibori, the EFCC has come up again with yet unnamed charges but ample innuendoes, leading the press to be mentioning billions of Naira worth of bank shares.
“Yet, it is on record that the EFCC has yet to make public the charge they have against Ibori. But what has reoccurred is the allegation about militants. This is an archaic repetition that should not be taken seriously by anyone, unless the government is confessing that the amnesty granted to ex-militants has failed.”