• Ex-governor’s hometown ecstatic about his release
Many would acquire their heroes and villains from fiction but the people of Oghara, Delta State, have no need for such laborious venture. They have found a hero in their incarcerated son, James Onanefe Ibori. That is why they are set to give him a hero’s welcome at his arrival from his jail term in the United Kingdom (UK).
Few people would understand the natives excitement in Oghara but the Delta state community is agog over the imminent return of Ibori. No matter what the world thinks, Ibori has done marvelously in the eyes of his people. A visit to his hometown in Oghara offers interesting experience. A heavy renovation exercise is going on there in preparation for Ibori’s return. It would be recalled that Ibori received a 13-year jail sentence after admitting fraud of nearly £50m in a British court.
The former governor of Delta state pleaded guilty to 10 offences relating to conspiracy to launder funds from the state, substantive counts of money laundering and one count of obtaining money transfer by deception and fraud. The Metropolitan police estimates that Ibori embezzled $250m (£157m) of Nigeria’s public funds.
