A teenager, who found herself in Tripoli, Libya, narrates her tortuous journey through the Sahara Desert, and how some desperate groups recruit young Nigerian girls for prostitution in the North African country to Comfort Oseghale
Bola, a 15-year-old Senior Secondary School pupil in Ikorodu, Lagos, has had her world turned around in one month without preparing for it. While her peers were taking summer classes last August, she was one of several girls who were being transported in trucks across the Sahara Desert to Libya. She is, however, lucky to still be alive to tell the story.
As a pupil in boarding, Bola spends nearly all of her time at school. “I am on a scholarship; I have been on it since I was in Primary Four,” she says. The only child of divorced parents, she spends most of her holidays either at the boarding house or the home of her school proprietor, who lives within the school premises. Last August while the school session drew to a close, and her peers made plans for holiday lessons, Bola decided to take up a holiday job.
“I told my mum that I wanted to get a job during the holidays; I wanted save some money before I gain admission into the university. My mum told me her pastor assists the members with jobs. I had to wait though for my aunt, Lola, who was at Ilesa, then trying to get admission into the university because my mother arranged that the pastor would help the two of us to get holiday jobs. A few days later, Lola joined Bola in Lagos and the girls went to Ikorodu to meet the pastor.
A woman known to everyone as Mama Blessing showed up moments later. She is the pastor’s friend. And with this set-up, the journey of these girls to Tripoli, Libya, began. The prophet and Mama Blessing, it turned out, only tricked people to recruit young girls for a prostitution ring in the North African country.
But in an interview with EXCLUSIVE.com at the office of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Ikeja, Lagos, where she is currently being detained, Mama Blessing claimed ignorance of the trafficking trade. “I am just a trader and sell foodstuffs at the market. Pastor knew that my daughter Blessing had come in from Libya and she asked me to assist Bola and Lola in finding jobs in Libya. All I did was to hand them over to my daughter,” she claimed.
As Bola recalled, the girls were taken to the Ogolonto, Ikorodu, Lagos, residence of Mama Blessing from where they were to take off days later to Kano in company with one Ibrahim, a friend of Blessing, while Bola and Lola were oblivious that the journey to Libya had begun. The young girls were joined by two other girls, who came with Ibrahim. “Ibrahim kept making calls during the journey. It seemed he was receiving directions from someone,” Bola said. At Kano, the group was met by a Hausa man driving a Golf car; they were to continue the next phase of their journey with him. After a while, two motorcycles trailed the Golf car. “I was scared when I noticed them. It was not until we stopped that I realised that the cyclists were meant for us,” she added. After three trips, everyone was ferried across safely into Niger Republic by the motorcyclists. “The network signal on my phone changed to an Orange symbol and I then realised that we were in another country. We were kept in a hut and warned not to make any noise,” Bola said.
Shortly after, Bola and her fellow travellers were joined by a group of boys and girls, who were being led by Blessing and her accomplice. It was a congregation of various Nigerian tribes and African nations. “There were Igbo, Bini, Ishan and Yoruba. There were also Ghanaians,” Bola recalled. A few days later, they moved again, this time by bus: at night. Describing this journey as terrifying, Bola said the group encountered rebels on the way. She said, “At a point, some Nigerien rebels were shooting at the bus and trying to stop, but the driver continued moving. I was told that if we stopped, we would be robbed and all the girls raped.”
Eventually, the bus made it to Dirkou, where the girls spent a few more days with their traffickers, sequestered from prying eyes. “We moved again from Dirkou to Agadez in an open-air pick-up truck. We were loaded into the back of the truck like animals and had to sit tightly packed together,”she said. The journey was more horrifying than the last for Bola. The sun was so hot that when the travellers stopped for a brief rest, their shoes almost melted ontheir feet in the hot sand. The desert route was littered with the bones of animals and dead travellers who had gone before them. The ride was bumpy and rough. Once, the truck in which Bola was loaded with others, had an accident; it fell on its side and turned again on its head, emptying its human cargo on top of the corpses that littered the desert.
“I lost consciousness while the other girls screamed. My clothes were pulled from me and they poured water on me before I revived. Meanwhile, our Arab driver started beating us. He was angry because he had warned us earlier not to make any noise. With the help of fellow travellers who were coming behind us in pick-ups, we were able to bring up the fallen truck,” she said.
At Agadez, all the girls were interviewed separately, “It was during the interview I was told we were being taken to Libya for prostitution; I refused and told my interviewer there was no way I would become a prostitute, that I was still a virgin,” Bola said. Unknown to her, one Ade, a member of the ring, who interviewed her, had contacted Bola’s prospective master in Libya, named Gani with the news. “It was later I discovered that Gani had ordered Ade to do what he could to deflower me,” said the teenager, who alleged that Ade raped her a few days after the interview. “I bled profusely, it was terrible.” she lamented.
Not long after this, the contingent started the journey to their final destination in Libya. “We were loaded into about 16 trailers, girls and boys from various countries and all the vehicles moved in a convoy. The journey was rough because of the rocks and sand along the road. At times, some of us would be thrown into the air with each bump,” she said, recalling a moment when a young girl fell off one of the trucks. “We had to scream and shout for the driver to stop because he couldn’t speak English. Eventually, he stopped and went to get her.” According to Bola, it took three days to get to Libya by road from Agadez. “I later learnt that the trailer Blessing boarded took about two weeks to get to Libya because it broke down on the way.”
Once in Libya, the girls were handed over to their various ‘masters,’ who had paid for them. She continued, “I was taken to Gani, who owned a brothel and was told that I had to work and pay off my debt of $3,000. Despite my protests, cotton was forced into me before the start of work after which it was removed. The cotton was meant to prevent sperm from getting inside me. Each time the cotton wool was pulled out, I bled again.
However, salvation came for Bola through a Sudanese customer. “I was to spend the night with him. I took the advantage of the opportunity and used his phone to call my mum,” added the distressed senior secondary pupil, who explained that the emotional conversation was in Yoruba. Bola’s mum was devastated.
Even at that, help did not come immediately. “I fell ill shortly after that. I kept bleeding and my private part was swollen. Gani then sent me away to live with his friends so I could get better. They didn’t take me to a hospital because they didn’t want to incur more expenses, but kept treating me at home,” she said. Words of Bola’s predicament soon spread among the Yoruba community in Libya until it got to the members of the Oodua Peoples Congress. Bola continued, “They were very angry with Gani because he was one of them. They told me that any girl being brought to Libya was usually told what to expect and given a choice to either accept or decline the offer. They said since I was a virgin and had declined the offer of prostitution.” It was the pressure the OPC mounted on Gani that eventually forced him to pay for my flight to Nigeria. He had to quickly arrange for a travelling certificate and bought me clothes and shoes.”
Now that she is back home, Bola is anxious to continue with her education. “I just want to quickly get back to school and continue from where I left off. I don’t mind taking extra classes to make up what I have lost so I can write my WASC next year. I feel sorry though for the girls I left behind and those whose bones littered the desert. I met a girl who had actually completed her youth service before she was brought to Libya by her aunt. So many like that have lost hope of returning to Nigeria,” she added.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
OGUN ASSEMBLY CRISIS: NBA WANT STATE OF EMERGENCY
The Nigerian Bar Association on Friday expressed concern over the state of affairs in Ogun State, where the legislative arm of government “has been in abeyance” for a prolonged length of time.
It specifically condemned the role played by the executive arm of government in the state in “precipitating the crisis” and called for the immediate resolution of crisis, failing which the Federal Government should set in motion the relevant process for the declaration of a state of emergency.
The NBA, in a communiqué issued at the end of its National Executive Council meeting in Gombe and signed by its President, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN) and Publicity Secretary, Mr. Emeka Obegolu, condemned the proposed plan to create additional states in the country, stating that it would heat up the polity and create unnecessary distractions ahead of the 2011 elections.
The communiqué, made available to our correspondent on Friday in Abuja, said, “NEC noted and reviewed the decision by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to embark on state creation, but advised that its timing could heat up the polity and create unnecessary distractions, having regard to the impending 2011 general elections in the country and urged the Senate to shelve the idea for the time being.”
The association reviewed the mode of appointment of legal practitioners as its representatives into the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee by the Chief Justice of Nigeria without its input, saying it was “totally unacceptable.”
It resolved that its representatives in the LPPC should, apart from being made in consultation with the NBA, must include its president.
The association noted the general state of insecurity, infrastructural decay and acts of executive lawlessness in the country, and called on government at all levels to live up to their responsibilities and ensure good governance.
The NBA flayed the total decline in the criminal justice system in the country as a result of the failure and neglect on the part of the legislature to pass pending relevant laws such as the Criminal Justice Reform Bill, the Evidence (Amendment) Act, and EFCC (Amendment).
It noted, “The abuse of the plea bargaining system, which is not backed by specific federal legislation, but frequently employed by federal agencies to provide soft landing for convicts of corruption-related offences and therefore called on the National Assembly to expedite action on the passage into law of the relevant pending bills for efficient criminal justice administration in Nigeria.”
It specifically condemned the role played by the executive arm of government in the state in “precipitating the crisis” and called for the immediate resolution of crisis, failing which the Federal Government should set in motion the relevant process for the declaration of a state of emergency.
The NBA, in a communiqué issued at the end of its National Executive Council meeting in Gombe and signed by its President, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN) and Publicity Secretary, Mr. Emeka Obegolu, condemned the proposed plan to create additional states in the country, stating that it would heat up the polity and create unnecessary distractions ahead of the 2011 elections.
The communiqué, made available to our correspondent on Friday in Abuja, said, “NEC noted and reviewed the decision by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to embark on state creation, but advised that its timing could heat up the polity and create unnecessary distractions, having regard to the impending 2011 general elections in the country and urged the Senate to shelve the idea for the time being.”
The association reviewed the mode of appointment of legal practitioners as its representatives into the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee by the Chief Justice of Nigeria without its input, saying it was “totally unacceptable.”
It resolved that its representatives in the LPPC should, apart from being made in consultation with the NBA, must include its president.
The association noted the general state of insecurity, infrastructural decay and acts of executive lawlessness in the country, and called on government at all levels to live up to their responsibilities and ensure good governance.
The NBA flayed the total decline in the criminal justice system in the country as a result of the failure and neglect on the part of the legislature to pass pending relevant laws such as the Criminal Justice Reform Bill, the Evidence (Amendment) Act, and EFCC (Amendment).
It noted, “The abuse of the plea bargaining system, which is not backed by specific federal legislation, but frequently employed by federal agencies to provide soft landing for convicts of corruption-related offences and therefore called on the National Assembly to expedite action on the passage into law of the relevant pending bills for efficient criminal justice administration in Nigeria.”
Thursday, December 2, 2010
2011: More PDP states will go -Lagos lawmaker
Lawrence Babatunde Ayeni is a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly and Chairman Ad-hoc Committee on Youth, Sports and Social Development. In this interview with a gentle man of the press he says that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will lose more states to the opposition during the 2011 elections. He also speaks on how legislators lobby the executive arm to attract projects to their constituencies among other issues.
WITH recent developments in the political cycle, do you think it is right for politicians to see elections as a do-or-die affair?
Politics should not be a do-or-die affair and politicians should not be aggressive or violent in achieving their political goals, because we are meant to serve our people, and if people say they have lost confidence in their representatives, then they should find something else to do, that is why politicians need to have another job, besides their political offices. If politicians or public officers serve once and people say they don’t want him or her anymore, such person should easily fall back to his or her business.
What have been your challenges as a lawmaker?
My first tenure is about to round off and I have learnt some lessons, and this has given me confidence to aspire to come back for a second term, especially to work for the interest of my people. It has not been easy as a first timer in the House, because legislative business involves lobbying. The business of a lawmaker is to legislate on matters of public importance as well as to do oversight functions on the executive arm of government.
I have many things that I want for my constituents, but right now the on-going project in my constituency is yet to be completed not to talk of others. So, I decided that if I have another chance I will lobby the executive to get something done. The challenges before me as a member of the Lagos Assembly are so enormous, because I was once a councilor and the job was less compared to that of a state legislator. The people I met here educate us on the challenges ahead and by now I am up to the task.
The constituents gave me the support, when I came in and this has contributed to my success as a lawmaker and that is why I have decided to come back and work for my people.
You said lobby is the means through which you receive from the executive, what do you mean by this?
Do not misconstrue my statement, what I meant by lobby is that one needs to romance the executive for one to get some projects done, especially when they are constituency projects, and you know that we are 40 lawmakers and others would also fight for their constituencies. It is not possible for us to get all our demands, so we have to lobby as I said to get some projects done. When I came in as a lawmaker, my constituents had the problem of flooding which had claimed several lives. I met with the Commissioner of Environment to assist us and he did, now the problem of flooding has become a thing of the past. My experience in the House has made me to overcome challenges and I know after this, I am going to higher level.
Has the recent demise of your colleague caused any fear for you, especially now that you are preparing for re-election?
This life is full of misery and I pray to learn from another person’s mistakes not people learning form my own mistakes. The demise of Hon. Sotomiwa has made other lawmakers in the House to be scared, especially this time that we are preparing for election, because only God knows what the opposition is planning against us. Politicians should expect anything and when one is preparing for that then one must prepare his or her mind for the evils ahead.
The House organised prayers for other lawmakers, because we don’t know who might be the next victim. That is why it is important for us to pray. I believe that no leaf can fall without the will of God. We must also be careful, because the man that died was a gentle person and we were amased that the man died without knowing what his ailment was.
Election was shifted to April after earlier announcing January, how would it affect your electioneering campaign?
The time is not the problem, but what my party (ACN) and I are more particular about is free and fair election that the whole world would see and congratulate us. The constitution amendment gave room for the election to be shifted and for us to avoid rigging and manipulation, it is better for us to do the election when it would be convenient for INEC and the electorates. Recently, two governors from Osun and Ekiti were sacked by Appeal Courts sitting in Ibadan and Ilorin respectively, just because of the votes that were manipulated during the 2007 general elections. In order to avoid this, time should be given to the INEC chairman to adequately prepare for credible polls. The disadvantages of the extension of the election for us is that we will record more expenses during our electioneering campaigns, because initially we thought election would come up by January, but now we need to prepare towards April. Immediately we announced that we are going for second term the burden fell on us. But we should not use our selfish interest to distort things. What we need is free and fair election, but it is alright we are going to manage ourselves.
What do you think should be done to stop electoral malpractice in Nigeria?
This has caused headache for Nigerians and it can be attributed to the love of money. For example, the Ekiti and Osun saga are obvious to everybody that Dr. Fayemi and Engineer Rauf Aregbesola won the elections before they were fraudulently given to Segun Oni and Oyinlola. Also, everybody knows that Madam Ayoka Adebayo manipulated the election for Oni at the expense of justice. It is very important for us to do things as it is supposed to be done in order to avoid such atrocities and for the judges to follow the due process. Sincerity should be our watchword and the National Assembly is also complicating the issue with the Uwais report that was not totally accepted.
What is your impression of the remuneration for lawmakers?
Very soon the people will get to know, because we don’t have any contract that brings us money. Most of them believe that it is our duty to construct roads and provide electricity and some would come for school fees, but they don’t know that we all depend on our salary and imprest. Our democracy is still young, may be by the time it is matured, people will get to know better. I take it as a point of duty to empower my people, because no amount of money you give to your constituents would be enough.
WITH recent developments in the political cycle, do you think it is right for politicians to see elections as a do-or-die affair?
Politics should not be a do-or-die affair and politicians should not be aggressive or violent in achieving their political goals, because we are meant to serve our people, and if people say they have lost confidence in their representatives, then they should find something else to do, that is why politicians need to have another job, besides their political offices. If politicians or public officers serve once and people say they don’t want him or her anymore, such person should easily fall back to his or her business.
What have been your challenges as a lawmaker?
My first tenure is about to round off and I have learnt some lessons, and this has given me confidence to aspire to come back for a second term, especially to work for the interest of my people. It has not been easy as a first timer in the House, because legislative business involves lobbying. The business of a lawmaker is to legislate on matters of public importance as well as to do oversight functions on the executive arm of government.
I have many things that I want for my constituents, but right now the on-going project in my constituency is yet to be completed not to talk of others. So, I decided that if I have another chance I will lobby the executive to get something done. The challenges before me as a member of the Lagos Assembly are so enormous, because I was once a councilor and the job was less compared to that of a state legislator. The people I met here educate us on the challenges ahead and by now I am up to the task.
The constituents gave me the support, when I came in and this has contributed to my success as a lawmaker and that is why I have decided to come back and work for my people.
You said lobby is the means through which you receive from the executive, what do you mean by this?
Do not misconstrue my statement, what I meant by lobby is that one needs to romance the executive for one to get some projects done, especially when they are constituency projects, and you know that we are 40 lawmakers and others would also fight for their constituencies. It is not possible for us to get all our demands, so we have to lobby as I said to get some projects done. When I came in as a lawmaker, my constituents had the problem of flooding which had claimed several lives. I met with the Commissioner of Environment to assist us and he did, now the problem of flooding has become a thing of the past. My experience in the House has made me to overcome challenges and I know after this, I am going to higher level.
Has the recent demise of your colleague caused any fear for you, especially now that you are preparing for re-election?
This life is full of misery and I pray to learn from another person’s mistakes not people learning form my own mistakes. The demise of Hon. Sotomiwa has made other lawmakers in the House to be scared, especially this time that we are preparing for election, because only God knows what the opposition is planning against us. Politicians should expect anything and when one is preparing for that then one must prepare his or her mind for the evils ahead.
The House organised prayers for other lawmakers, because we don’t know who might be the next victim. That is why it is important for us to pray. I believe that no leaf can fall without the will of God. We must also be careful, because the man that died was a gentle person and we were amased that the man died without knowing what his ailment was.
Election was shifted to April after earlier announcing January, how would it affect your electioneering campaign?
The time is not the problem, but what my party (ACN) and I are more particular about is free and fair election that the whole world would see and congratulate us. The constitution amendment gave room for the election to be shifted and for us to avoid rigging and manipulation, it is better for us to do the election when it would be convenient for INEC and the electorates. Recently, two governors from Osun and Ekiti were sacked by Appeal Courts sitting in Ibadan and Ilorin respectively, just because of the votes that were manipulated during the 2007 general elections. In order to avoid this, time should be given to the INEC chairman to adequately prepare for credible polls. The disadvantages of the extension of the election for us is that we will record more expenses during our electioneering campaigns, because initially we thought election would come up by January, but now we need to prepare towards April. Immediately we announced that we are going for second term the burden fell on us. But we should not use our selfish interest to distort things. What we need is free and fair election, but it is alright we are going to manage ourselves.
What do you think should be done to stop electoral malpractice in Nigeria?
This has caused headache for Nigerians and it can be attributed to the love of money. For example, the Ekiti and Osun saga are obvious to everybody that Dr. Fayemi and Engineer Rauf Aregbesola won the elections before they were fraudulently given to Segun Oni and Oyinlola. Also, everybody knows that Madam Ayoka Adebayo manipulated the election for Oni at the expense of justice. It is very important for us to do things as it is supposed to be done in order to avoid such atrocities and for the judges to follow the due process. Sincerity should be our watchword and the National Assembly is also complicating the issue with the Uwais report that was not totally accepted.
What is your impression of the remuneration for lawmakers?
Very soon the people will get to know, because we don’t have any contract that brings us money. Most of them believe that it is our duty to construct roads and provide electricity and some would come for school fees, but they don’t know that we all depend on our salary and imprest. Our democracy is still young, may be by the time it is matured, people will get to know better. I take it as a point of duty to empower my people, because no amount of money you give to your constituents would be enough.
Friday, November 26, 2010
JOURNALIST KIDNAPPED IN EDO
Suspected kidnappers on Friday night abducted the General Manager of the Edo State-owned broadcast outfit, the Edo Broadcasting Service, Mr. Tunde Ebosojie.
He was said to have been abducted while returning from work.
Sources said the kidnappers had contacted the family and demanded a ransom of N20m.
A senior police officer confirmed the incident to EXCLUSIVE.com on Friday and said they were putting all necessary machinery in place to rescue the journalist.
The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Ansel Ojezua, expressed worry over the rising spate of kidnapping in the state, which before now, seemed to have been targeted at medical practitioners.
He urged the police and other security agents to step up their operation and rise to the occasion by curbing kidnapping in the state.
“The kidnap of the General Manager of EBS is unfortunate and makes no sense as he is a public servant with limited resources. I appeal to the abductors to release him without delay,” Ojezua said
He was said to have been abducted while returning from work.
Sources said the kidnappers had contacted the family and demanded a ransom of N20m.
A senior police officer confirmed the incident to EXCLUSIVE.com on Friday and said they were putting all necessary machinery in place to rescue the journalist.
The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Ansel Ojezua, expressed worry over the rising spate of kidnapping in the state, which before now, seemed to have been targeted at medical practitioners.
He urged the police and other security agents to step up their operation and rise to the occasion by curbing kidnapping in the state.
“The kidnap of the General Manager of EBS is unfortunate and makes no sense as he is a public servant with limited resources. I appeal to the abductors to release him without delay,” Ojezua said
IBB set to support ATIKU
*Atiku must win this election- IBB
We broke the news of IBB negotiating with pres. Jonathan, but as at now due to cordial disagreement, The FORMER Military President Ibrahim Babangida said yesterday that he would remain undaunted even though he was prepared to keep to the elements of the Consensus Agreement of the Mallam Adamu Ciroma led Committee that ex-vice President Atiku Abubakar as the preferred candidate for the north.‘’Although a decision has emerged, he challenges remain relentless, dominant and problematic. This is both rational and essential for us to continue to be in good spirit and remain steadfast in our engagements. While we keep to the elements of the Consensus Agreement, we shall remain undaunted”, he said.Addressing Journalists at the Hotel Horizon, Wuse 2, Abuja, Babangida who stressed that he is an honourable man who would at all times abide by agreements reached, said he is not a fool to abandon the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP because he was not the lucky person to have been chosen by the Consensus Candidate Committee.According to him, he would join forces with Atiku Abubakar to ensure that he wins the PDP’s primaries to emerge as the Party’s flagbearer in the 2011 Presidential election.While thanking his Campaign Director-General, National Directors, Zonal Directors, State Coordinators and his other teeming supporters who were at the venue of the briefing for the support, however stressed their commitment was certainly not lost to him or to history, adding, ‘’Who knows, for at a time like this, we may rebound.”The former President who was one of the Presidential aspirants from before the announcement of Atiku Abubakar told his supporters and loyalists that at a time like this, there was the need for them to sustain the spirit of goodness and for them to believe in the commitment to the objectives that brought them together as a campaign Organization.Meanwhile, the Director-General of IBB 2011 Campaign Organization, Chief Raymond Dokpesi told members of the IBB campaign Organisation that arrangements have been concluded where everyone will be integrated into one formidable Campaign Organisation for the realization of Atiku Abubakar’s ambition.
We broke the news of IBB negotiating with pres. Jonathan, but as at now due to cordial disagreement, The FORMER Military President Ibrahim Babangida said yesterday that he would remain undaunted even though he was prepared to keep to the elements of the Consensus Agreement of the Mallam Adamu Ciroma led Committee that ex-vice President Atiku Abubakar as the preferred candidate for the north.‘’Although a decision has emerged, he challenges remain relentless, dominant and problematic. This is both rational and essential for us to continue to be in good spirit and remain steadfast in our engagements. While we keep to the elements of the Consensus Agreement, we shall remain undaunted”, he said.Addressing Journalists at the Hotel Horizon, Wuse 2, Abuja, Babangida who stressed that he is an honourable man who would at all times abide by agreements reached, said he is not a fool to abandon the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP because he was not the lucky person to have been chosen by the Consensus Candidate Committee.According to him, he would join forces with Atiku Abubakar to ensure that he wins the PDP’s primaries to emerge as the Party’s flagbearer in the 2011 Presidential election.While thanking his Campaign Director-General, National Directors, Zonal Directors, State Coordinators and his other teeming supporters who were at the venue of the briefing for the support, however stressed their commitment was certainly not lost to him or to history, adding, ‘’Who knows, for at a time like this, we may rebound.”The former President who was one of the Presidential aspirants from before the announcement of Atiku Abubakar told his supporters and loyalists that at a time like this, there was the need for them to sustain the spirit of goodness and for them to believe in the commitment to the objectives that brought them together as a campaign Organization.Meanwhile, the Director-General of IBB 2011 Campaign Organization, Chief Raymond Dokpesi told members of the IBB campaign Organisation that arrangements have been concluded where everyone will be integrated into one formidable Campaign Organisation for the realization of Atiku Abubakar’s ambition.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
EFCC Set to Try Emmanuel Uduaghan And Former Deputy Governor, Prof. Utuama, for Money Laundering
Emmanuel Uduaghan and Prof. Amos Utuama
Uduaghan was removed from office yesterday via a ruling of the Elections Petitions Court of Appeal in Benin which nullified his flawed April 2007 election as governor. Uduaghan, who is a cousin of Ibori, was the secretary to the Delta state government during the intervening period. His name has featured prominently in the ongoing trial of Ibori's estranged wife, Theresa Nkoyo at the Southwark Crown Court in London.
Prof. Utuama's name has also featured prominently in the money laundering activities of Ibori. During his tenure as Ibori's Attorney General, Utuama’s Prime Chambers account at Zenith Bank in Nigeria was generously used to transfer funds that helped spread bribes to a variety of lawyers and judges.
Though Mr. Uduaghan and Utuama have been involved in cases of corruption involving the Iboris, they enjoyed legal immunity from persecution on account of their positions as governor and deputy governor. They took advantage of those positions to help Ibori to seize and manage his own trial as he pleased.
Ibori now faces extradition to the UK to face trial for money laundering. He has so far stalled his extradition by launching an appeal against a high court ruling which granted his extradition to London. If the EFCC successfully begins the prosecution of Uduaghan and Utuama, the duo will have a hard time rejoining the gubernatorial race that will be taking place in the next 90 days, as ordered by the court yesterday.
It would also mean that Ibori will face serious financial hurdles in resisting his extradition to London, in view of the fact that Uduaghan and Utuama have consistently used Delta State funds to support Ibori's extravagant lifestyle as well as his legal bills in Dubai.
Monday, November 22, 2010
London Money laundering Trial: Theresa Ibori Gets 5 Years Jail term
Theresa Ibori, the former First Lady of Delta State, is going to prison for five years.
The London jury in her Southwark Crown Court trial returned their verdict today. James Ibori's United Kingdom lawyer, Mr. Bhadresh Gohil, who was on trial with Theresa, has been remanded in police custody, awaiting sentencing.
In a previous trial, the court had also sent to prison Ibori's sister, Christine Ibori-Ibie; and his mistress, Udoamaka Okoronkwo-Onuigbo.
The main culprit, James Ibori, awaits extradition to the UK to face three set of trials relating to money laundering and theft of delta state resources.
The London jury in her Southwark Crown Court trial returned their verdict today. James Ibori's United Kingdom lawyer, Mr. Bhadresh Gohil, who was on trial with Theresa, has been remanded in police custody, awaiting sentencing.
In a previous trial, the court had also sent to prison Ibori's sister, Christine Ibori-Ibie; and his mistress, Udoamaka Okoronkwo-Onuigbo.
The main culprit, James Ibori, awaits extradition to the UK to face three set of trials relating to money laundering and theft of delta state resources.
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