January 19, 2008
These are troubling times for the fugitive former governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, he has been sighted in many countries including the tiny west African country of Sierra Leone.
Lucky Igbinedion, who is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for money laundering, corruption and abuse office while he was Edo State governor between 1999 -2007 has been on the run since handing over power in May 2007. His last engagement with law enforcement agents investigating his corrupt practices was in June 2007 shortly after which he escaped from Nigeria, first to the UK and later to different parts of the world as his high profile case became internationalized.
Apart from the EFCC, the London Metropolitan Police has been on the trail of Mr. Igbinedion, so also is the South African anti-corruption police, popularly referred to as “The Scorpions”
Speculations over Igbinedion's whereabouts heightened in the last one week in both his Native Edo and other parts of Nigeria when the EFCC filed charges accusing the former governor of stealing total sum of N2.9 billion from Edo state coffers. An amount, many observers and former aides of the ex-governor now says falls far below his “frolicking budget”
“We think the EFCC needs to review the charges tremendously so as not to appear as if they are slapping oga on the wrist”, says Osahon, a former member of the ex-governor’s inner circle who refuses to be identified by his full names.
Saharareporters was first to report last year that Lucky Igbinedion had fled Nigeria, then he was in the UK at his Σ6 million(Six Million Pounds Sterling) house in the High Gate area of London, a house he purchased in 2000, paying Σ3.2 million cash. By late last year the former governor had moved to Paris and later Morocco.
But a detailed report emanating from the small West African nation of Sierra Leone said the former governor has been in Sierra Leone for quite some time, traveling back and forth between the tiny West African nation and several "safe" countries around the globe.
Whenever he is in Sierra Leone, Lucky Igbinedion was said to be living an unusually low profile, a spartan life compared to his well-known profligate lifestyle.
By yesterday afternoon, it was confirmed that Lucky Igbinedion was in New York City from where he held discussions with "some people with Nigerian connections" in Freetown throughout the first week of January, discussing on the best way to return to Nigeria.
Lucky Igbinedion had already indicated through his lawyers that he will be appearing before the EFCC on Monday January 21 2008 to face charges filed against him by the EFCC.
If Lucky Igbinedion returns to Sierra Leone en route to Nigeria, he will be staying at the house of Mr. Joe Blell— the former minister of defense of Sierra Leone. John Blell was one time the Sierra Leone’s former 's High Commissioner to Nigeria.
Igbinedion, it was learnt, entered Sierra Leone in December last year to oversee some of his business interests but also as a result of the arrest of James Ibori, the former governor of neighboring Delta State. Part of Lucky Igbinedion’s business in Sierra Leone is a quarry along Kenema Road in the Eastern part of Sierra Leone.
Another report made available to Saharareporters indicated some time in 2006; he'd started his plan to run a fishing company in Freetown. Unfortunately, the South African he brought in to manage the business was a step ahead; he escaped with a huge sum meant for starting up the fishing business.
Sierra Leone is no stranger to shady monetary transactions from corrupt Nigerian officials, Nigeria's former military dictator, General Sani Abacha, once purchased a Petroleum refinery with state funds in the 1990s. He tried to keep it as a personal asset, but the scheme was discovered after he died in office.
Igbinedion’s attorney, Richard Oma Ahonaruogho, the former governor alleged that the EFCC had breached due process in declaring him wanted, maintaining that he had neither been served any previous notice of invitation without its being honored.
Lucky Igbinedion, who is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for money laundering, corruption and abuse office while he was Edo State governor between 1999 -2007 has been on the run since handing over power in May 2007. His last engagement with law enforcement agents investigating his corrupt practices was in June 2007 shortly after which he escaped from Nigeria, first to the UK and later to different parts of the world as his high profile case became internationalized.
Apart from the EFCC, the London Metropolitan Police has been on the trail of Mr. Igbinedion, so also is the South African anti-corruption police, popularly referred to as “The Scorpions”
Speculations over Igbinedion's whereabouts heightened in the last one week in both his Native Edo and other parts of Nigeria when the EFCC filed charges accusing the former governor of stealing total sum of N2.9 billion from Edo state coffers. An amount, many observers and former aides of the ex-governor now says falls far below his “frolicking budget”
“We think the EFCC needs to review the charges tremendously so as not to appear as if they are slapping oga on the wrist”, says Osahon, a former member of the ex-governor’s inner circle who refuses to be identified by his full names.
Saharareporters was first to report last year that Lucky Igbinedion had fled Nigeria, then he was in the UK at his Σ6 million(Six Million Pounds Sterling) house in the High Gate area of London, a house he purchased in 2000, paying Σ3.2 million cash. By late last year the former governor had moved to Paris and later Morocco.
But a detailed report emanating from the small West African nation of Sierra Leone said the former governor has been in Sierra Leone for quite some time, traveling back and forth between the tiny West African nation and several "safe" countries around the globe.
Whenever he is in Sierra Leone, Lucky Igbinedion was said to be living an unusually low profile, a spartan life compared to his well-known profligate lifestyle.
By yesterday afternoon, it was confirmed that Lucky Igbinedion was in New York City from where he held discussions with "some people with Nigerian connections" in Freetown throughout the first week of January, discussing on the best way to return to Nigeria.
Lucky Igbinedion had already indicated through his lawyers that he will be appearing before the EFCC on Monday January 21 2008 to face charges filed against him by the EFCC.
If Lucky Igbinedion returns to Sierra Leone en route to Nigeria, he will be staying at the house of Mr. Joe Blell— the former minister of defense of Sierra Leone. John Blell was one time the Sierra Leone’s former 's High Commissioner to Nigeria.
Igbinedion, it was learnt, entered Sierra Leone in December last year to oversee some of his business interests but also as a result of the arrest of James Ibori, the former governor of neighboring Delta State. Part of Lucky Igbinedion’s business in Sierra Leone is a quarry along Kenema Road in the Eastern part of Sierra Leone.
Another report made available to Saharareporters indicated some time in 2006; he'd started his plan to run a fishing company in Freetown. Unfortunately, the South African he brought in to manage the business was a step ahead; he escaped with a huge sum meant for starting up the fishing business.
Sierra Leone is no stranger to shady monetary transactions from corrupt Nigerian officials, Nigeria's former military dictator, General Sani Abacha, once purchased a Petroleum refinery with state funds in the 1990s. He tried to keep it as a personal asset, but the scheme was discovered after he died in office.
Igbinedion’s attorney, Richard Oma Ahonaruogho, the former governor alleged that the EFCC had breached due process in declaring him wanted, maintaining that he had neither been served any previous notice of invitation without its being honored.
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