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The
Nigeria Police, yesterday, said it was still making efforts to arrest
the former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, even after the
expiration of the 48hours deadline given to the arresting team led by
an Assistant Inspector General.

The Force Public
Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, said Wednesday that the police was
still hunting for the wanted man. “We are still on his trail. All I can
say is that we will get him very soon,” he said.

Attempts to arrest
Mr. Ibori on Tuesday failed after the joint police and Economic and
Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) team were overpowered by a gang of
well armed local youth at Oghara, the hometown of Mr. Ibori in Delta
State. The order for his arrest followed the decision of the EFCC to
declare him a wanted man, following his refusal to obey an invitation
to visit the commission.

However, when asked
what the police is doing to ensure the arrest, despite the initial
media report that Mr. Ibori was guarded by heavily armed individuals,
Mr. Ojukwu said: “we are trying our best, that is all I can now tell
you. But he has not been arrested.” Recounting the attack on the police
yesterday by the armed group, Mr. Ojukwu said “So far, I am not aware
of any casuality.” He said the 48 hours time frame is a working guide
and not a specific deadline as to when the arrest should be made.

The spokesperson
for the EFCC, Femi Babafemi, also told NEXT that Mr. Ibori has not yet
been arrested. He, however, refused to say how much effort the
commission has put into ensuring the arrest.

Persona non grata

Meanwhile, the
opposition Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), and the
Delta State Elders group, on Wednesday, condemned the action of the
youth and the refusal of Mr. Ibori to surrender himself to the police.

Kayode Ajulo,
counsel to the Delta State Elders who sent the petition against Mr.
Ibori to the EFCC, said Mr. Ibori’s argument that he has a court order
stopping his arrest was faulty.

I want to, “on
behalf of our client, state clearly that the reported resistance and
argument canvassed for, is not only a misconception of the court’s
status quo order, but also untenable, irrational and a deliberate
flagrant violation and disregard to constituted authorities and
directives.” Mr Ajulo said the EFCC and other law enforcement agencies,
including Nigerians, are duty-bound to arrest the ex-governor in the
extant circumstances, “as the much touted statuesque order by the
Federal High Court, Asaba only complement, reinforce as well as fortify
the warrant of arrest earlier issued on Mr. Ibori..” Mr. Ajulo also
explained the meaning of status quo in Nigerian jurisprudence.

“If we must ask
ourselves, what is in existence that is yet to be vacated before the
status quo order is a duly drawn Warrant of Arrest of Chief James
Onanafe Ibori,” Mr. Ajulo said. “As of now, and with the effect of the
order of warrant of arrest on Ibori, the ex-governor is a persona non
grata and an outcast whom all hands must be on deck to apprehend and
brought to justice in pursuance of the Abuja High Court’s Order.”

No one is above the law

The Conference of
Nigerian Political Parties described the ‘wall of resistance’ allegedly
put up by the former governor’s supporters as an irony of the
anti-corruption war.

The party’s
National Chairman, Maxi Okwu, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos
that the people being protected against economic crimes and
deprivations had become a bulwark for perpetrators of such crimes.

“The law was made
to protect public funds from being looted, but now the same public has
turned round to fight for those accused of such crimes,” he said. “We
saw similar scenario in Bayelsa, when its former governor, Diepreye
Alamieyeseigha, was impeached and later arrested for embezzlement of
their funds. The same thing also happened when Olabode George was
arraigned and tried for misappropriating port funds. The spate of
demonstrations by the so-called supporters of public figures accused of
defrauding the nation have become so worrisome. Something must be done
about it.”

Mr. Okwu also said
although Mr. Ibori is presumed innocent until proven guilty, no effort
should be spared to arrest him to face the law.

“He should be
arrested no matter the cost to the nation. There is need for a serious
re-orientation of Nigerians on anti-corruption issues,” he said.

“Ibori is not above the law. If he thinks he is not guilty, then
there is no reason for him to go into hiding or look for legal
loopholes to evade arrest.”