Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, former Bayelsa State governor, is dead.
He died today in Port Harcourt, of cardiac arrest, according to reports. He was aged 62. He was born 16 November, 1952.
The former governor, who was jailed two years for corruption in July 2007 was pardoned by his kinsman, former President Goodluck Jonathan. As a governor, he was impeached in 2005 and arrested thereafter for money laundering offences.
Alams or DSP, as he was fondly called, was earlier arrested in Britain over money laundering allegations. But he jumped bail and ran to Nigeria.
The United Kingdom High Commissioner in Nigeria, just a few days ago said his country was still interested in bringing him to justice.
The former governor was arrested at Heathrow airport in September 2005 and had his passport confiscated. He faced three money-laundering charges after police found £1m in cash at his London address and property in his name worth £10m.
He returned to Nigeria in controversial circumstances in November – forfeiting a £1.25m bail bond . Reports then said he disguised as a woman to escape from British police. He had denied the story in a series of interviews.
Asked how he evaded British controls to make it back to his village of Amassoma in the Niger delta. “I don’t know myself. I just woke up and found myself in Amassoma.”
Before he became governor of the oil-rich state in 1999, he was the Head of Budget, Planning, Research and Development of the National Fertiliser Company(NAFCON), which has now been privatised.
Before then, he was the Sole Administrator of Pabod Supplies Port Harcourt.
He attended the Bishop Dimeari Grammar School, Yenagoa. He joined the Nigerian Defence Academy as a Cadet Officer in 1974, then joined the Nigerian Air Force, where he served in the department of Logistics and Supply.
He held various air force positions in Enugu, Markurdi, Kaduna and Ikeja. He retired from the air force in 1992 as a Squadron Leader.