IBORI: Police Move Amoured Carriers, Trucks, Mopols To Oghara, Environs

San Francisco, April 21, (THEWILL) – The hunt for the former governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori has taken a dangerous turn as the Nigerian Police Force on Wednesday moved Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC), trucks and dozens of mobile policemen to Oghara and neighbouring villages including Otefe, the governors village.

THEWILL gathered from sources that dozens of mobile policemen were stationed near the Township Stadium in Oghara which is quite close to Ibori’s country home.

Ibori is believed to be hiding in his country home but may have switched location after an attempt to arrest him on Tuesday was foiled by a local militia hired to protect the embattled former PDP strongman.

Police Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu said the police team led by a D.I.G. came under gunfire when they approached Oghara, Delta State on Tuesday to effect the politician’s arrest.

It is unclear when the police would make another attempt to detain Ibori but a police source said the agency has mapped out effective strategies it intends to deploy to grab the embattled former governor.

Ibori has consistently said he is being prosecuted for political reasons alleging that it is all about the 2011 general elections.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) last week declared the former governor wanted 3 days before the day he was asked to show up at its Abuja facility for interrogation on his role in the use and subsequent sale of N44 billion naira worth of Delta State government owned Oceanic Bank Plc shares, which Ascot, a private company linked to the Ibori used to purchase Wilbros, an American oil servicing company, while he was governor of the state.