Ibori Hides In Delta Creeks, Guarded By Militants

Former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, who is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is said to be hiding in one of the creeks in the Niger Delta.

Ibori, who is wanted in connection with an alleged N44 billion fraud, went into hiding last week immediately security agents began a manhunt for him.



Following the difficulty in arresting him at his country home in Oghara, Delta State or wherever he is hiding, by EFCC operatives, the Acting President, Goodluck Jonathan has reportedly directed the Inspector-General of Police, Ogbonna Onovo, to assist EFCC arrest Ibori.

Though it is believed that Ibori is being heavily guarded by mobile policemen, and that is why Jonathan wants Onovo and his men to get him, others believe he is hiding in the creeks where he is being guarded by militants. The militants are known for arming themselves with sophisticated weapons and for being ruthless.

Yesterday, protesters clashed with policemn in Oghara, the administrative headquarters of Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State. The protesters, comprising youths, elders, women and children took took to the streets. They condemned the attempt to arrest Ibori, saying it amounted to witch-hunting.

They blamed Jonathan and leader of the Delta Elders and Stakeholders Forum and First Republic Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, for the current travails of Ibori.

Ibori’s current travails began when a petition was sent to the EFCC by the  Delta Elders and Stakeholders Forum led by Chief  Clark.

In the petition the group claimed that Ibori allegedly sold 520 million of Delta State Government shares in Intercontinental Bank and Oceanic Bank and used the proceeds to service the N44 billion loan his company, Ascot Offshore Nigeria Limited, obtained.

A group, Oghara National Congress, ONC, comprising Ibori’s kinsmen, claimed in a statement that Clark was using EFCC to witch-hunt the former governor.