Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mrs. Farida Waziri has dispatched a team to Dubai to start the process of extraditing former governor of Delta state James Ibori after he was arrested by the International Police (Interpol) on Wednesday.
Mrs. Waziri confirmed to journalists in Abuja that, “It has been confirmed that Ibori was arrested by the Interpol.”
She said the commission had been exchanging intelligence with Interpol and Metropolitan Police, UK, after Ibori was declared wanted in Nigeria and failed to submit himself for interrogation over an alleged N44billion scam.
The former governor was however granted bail by a Dubai court after he was arraigned yesterday, his media aide Tony Eluemunor said in a statement.
Ibori was arrested by Interpol via a warrant of arrest issued by United Kingdom authorities and would soon be extradited to face charges of money laundering against him before a London court.
EFCC declared Ibori wanted in April for failure to explain his involvement in the alleged sales of shares owned by Delta State government to obtain N44billion loan from Intercontinental bank for his company, Ascot Offshore Nigeria Limited.
The anti-graft agency also secured a court warrant for his arrest and equally put him on a watch list.
“My initial reaction when I heard of Ibori’s arrest was that of excitement, and surprise too. Surprise because somebody said he had gone to Ghana. Some people also said he is still somewhere in Delta, some say in his Village in Warri. My mind never went to Dubai. But the Met police have a relationship with Dubai police. They told me that if he is in Dubai they will get him that it will be easier to track him down .If he had gone to places like China or Japan, and then it would have been difficult. I was very excited.
“EFCC is prepared to prosecute him without leaving any loose end. Before, we declared him wanted, of course to arraign him. We have some charges and we have witnesses and we are prepared on our side.”
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