Reports out of London on Wednesday indicate that convicted former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, has been released from custody after completing a 13-year jail term.
Private radio, Ray Power FM, said in a news update on Wednesday afternoon that Mr. Ibori, a former governor of Delta State, was released following a court order that declined a British government’s request for an extension of his prison remand.
Although his spokesman, Tony Eluemunor, declined to confirm the development to PREMIUM TIMES Wednesdayafternoon, an online newspaper, The Will, reported that Mr. Ibori had been released but will not be allowed to travel outside the United Kingdom for the time being.
“THEWILL can, however, report that Ibori, who was in court for the suit will have to reside at his St. John’s Wood residence ONLY and will report to the police once weekly,” the paper said.
The UK Home Office had opposed Mr. Ibori’s release, citing inconclusive business in the asset forfeiture proceedings against the corrupt former governor.
Mr. Ibori was jailed on April 17, 2012, for 13 years. That was the third time the former governor, described as a thief in Government House, got sentenced for theft in London.
He is alleged to have stolen more than $250 million from the treasury of the oil-rich Delta State, plunging even more of his people into abject poverty and deprivation. The ex-governor is expected to be prosecuted by the anti-graft EFCC when he returns to Nigeria.
Some of his stolen cash and assets were later stashed away in offshore tax havens as revealed by PREMIUM TIMES’ series on Panama Papers published earlier this year.
Ewuare the first Bini warrior king, was himself forced into exile as a young prince and nearly would not have ascended the Benin throne. With death penalty hanging on his head as a result of some misdemeanor, he fled into the woods although regularly, secretly visiting the city of Benin at night. The elders (Edionisen) heard about his secret visits and set a trap to capture and kill him. Just as he was about to be caught, he escaped to the home of Ogieva Nomuekpo, who hid him in a well covered on top with leaves. Ogieva then went to invite the elders to come and arrest Prince Ogun as he was called then. While Ogieva was on his way to call the elders, Edo, the head servant of Ogieva's household alerted Prince Ogun about his master's diabolical plan and helped the prince to escape. Ogieva returned with the elders to find that he had been betrayed and he severely punished Edo for this. After several years in the bush, Prince Ogun began to grow weary of his vaga...
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