Nigeria Content Online

James Ibori, former
Delta State governor, who is on a wanted list in Britain over
allegations of corruption, yesterday in Dubai, the United Arab
Emirates, lost his appeal against his extradition.

The Gulf Arab
Emirates’ cassation court ruled against Mr. Ibori’s appeal. The former
governor, who has also been declared wanted by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was arrested in the Emirates in
May. The arrest was at the behest of the London Metropolitan Police,
and a Dubai court later approved a British extradition request.

Convicted associates

A British court had
in August 2007 frozen his assets, worth over $35 Million, based on the
suspicion that they were the proceeds of corruption. Some of Mr.
Ibori’s associates in Britain have been convicted.

Among these are his
sister, Christine Ibie-Ibori, and his ally, Udoamaka Okoronkwo (nee
Onuigbo). Both are currently serving jail terms in a United Kingdom
prison. Mr. Ibori’s wife, Theresa Nkoyo, and his UK-based lawyer,
Bhadresh Gohil, were also convicted recently.

A statement by Femi
Babafemi, the spokesperson of the EFCC, yesterday said, “The ruling
today of the appellate court in Dubai only goes to confirm our earlier
position issued after the first ruling in October that justice is
universal and applicable anywhere in the world.

“We have been
cooperating with authorities in other jurisdictions on this matter and
we will continue to do this until the cause of justice is fully served,
irrespective of the ignorance and misrepresentation being peddled by
mischief makers.”

The anti-graft
agency had in April tried to arrest Mr. Ibori before his trip to Dubai,
to question him over allegations that he looted N44 billion from Delta
State coffers. However, a large number of his supporters prevented
police from arresting him in his hometown, Oghara. Few days after, he
fled the country for Dubai. How he fled the country without being
apprehended is still unknown.

Mr. Ibori governed
Delta State from 1999 to 2007. He was a big power broker in the Peoples
Democratic Party after he left power, dismissing all accusations
against him as political.

It is not clear yet how soon he will be flown to Britain to face further prosecution.