Police Confirm Order To Arrest Ibori

PHOTO: NIGERIA POLICE FORCE IG OGBONNAYA ONOVO.

San Francisco, April 20, (THEWILL) – The Nigeria Police Force on Tuesday confirmed that the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ogbonnaya Onovo, ordered the arrest of former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, after he withdrew security aides attached to the embattled politician who was last week declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu said Assistant Inspector General of Police, M.D. Abubakar, and the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Yakubu Alkali who were ordered to effect Ibori’s arrest were attacked by a group of gunmen near Oghara, Ibori’s hometown in Delta State.

There are confirmed reports that Ibori mobilized a group of militants operating in his area to protect him.

Both senior officers who were in a convoy with their men retreated when the militants opened fire on them.

Ibori’s media aide, Mr. Tony Eluemunor in a statement earlier claimed that a team made up of the army, navy, police, Air Force and plain clothes officers stormed Ibori’s Oghara home, ransacking and harassing persons in the compound and town.

Mr. Ojukwu however said, "I can confirm to you that the group that was sent there was attacked by hoodlums. I don’t know whether they are militants or what by now, but we are still working on it,” he said.

"The IG has ordered the AIG in charge of Zone 5, that is M.D. Abubakar and the Delta State Commissioner of Police, to effect the arrest of James Ibori and there is a DIG on ground to ensure that the court order is enforced today.

"We cannot give you the details of what we now want to do, but we will do everything within the law to effect the arrest; and there is a warrant of arrest issued by a court and we are acting within the jurisdiction," he assured.

Ibori is wanted for questioning over his role in a financial transaction involving the use of Delta State government owned millions of Oceanic Bank Plc shares to secure credit for Ascot, a privately owned company linked to him. It is alleged that the shares were used as a collateral to obtain a loan from Intercontinental Bank Plc and subsequently liquidated at the former governor’s approval, when Ascot failed to repay the credit, which it used to finance the purchase of Wilbros, an American oil servicing company, towards the end of Ibori’s tenure as governor of Delta State.

Ibori maintains he is being prosecuted for political reasons and has refused to honour an EFCC invitation to answer questions.