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Delta State Gov.Ibori’s wife arrested - After jumping bail in London-NIG. TRIBUNE

November 26, 2006
 

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Saturday arrested one of the wives of Delta State governor, Mrs. Udo Okoronkwo Ibori, over alleged money laundering and illegal transfer of funds through a first generation bank.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that Mrs. Ibori’s arrest in Lagos on arrival from London followed a tip-off from the London Metropolitan Police which had initially arrested the governor’s wife over the alleged offences.

Authoritative sources within the EFCC told the Nigerian Tribune that Mrs Ibori was, two weeks ago, arrested and quizzed in London by the Metropolitan Police but was granted bail.

The Metropolitan Police was reported to have contacted the EFCC after Mrs. Ibori allegedly jumped bail and took a direct flight to Nigeria.

Mrs. Ibori was reported to have been arrested in London along with the governor’s sister, Mrs. Christine Ibie. The whereabouts of the governor’s sister could, however, not be confirmed as at the time of filing this report.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that when questioned, the governor’s wife claimed that the allegedly laundered money was given to her by the Secretary to the Delta State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan.

She was also reportedly questioned over the possession of a bulletproof Range Rover in Lagos, among other issues. In keeping with the cooperation pact between the EFCC and the Metropolitan Police, the EFCC is reported to have informed London of the arrest, leading to the despatch of operatives from London to Nigeria.

It was learnt that the operatives from London arrived in Nigeria on Sunday to take over the case, though it was not clear whether the London Police want to seek immediate extradition of the governor’s wife to London.

Reports from the EFCC on Sunday showed that the head of the agency in Lagos, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, was under pressure from prominent Nigerians to release the governor’s wife.

The commission’s chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, was, however, said to have rejected all pleas on behalf of the governor’s wife. Ribadu is reported to have vowed to collaborate fully with the London Police to get to the root of the matter, pledging to focus not only on the governor’s wife, but also on the sources of the laundered money.

The EFCC spokesman, Mr. Osita Nwajah, could not be reached for his comment on the story but insiders confirmed the arrest. Meanwhile, Governor Ibori has denied any marital relationship with the arrested woman.

He said that he had no wife by such name. The governor spoke through his media assistant, Mr. Sheddy Ozoene. He told the Nigerian Tribune that the governor was not in any way connected to the alleged crime or the alleged perpetrator.

He added that Ibori’s wife’s name is Nkoyo, submitting that the governor had no marital relationship with the woman in question.


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