INTERPOL CHASE: LUCKY IGBINEDION RUNS OUT OF FRANCE ...AS MET POLICE RAID HOUSE IN ENGLAND

Lucky Igbinedion

As the international hunt for former Edo State Governor, Mr. Lucky Igbinedion intensifies following the International Arrest Warrant, IAR, handed down to the INTERPOL by Nigerian authorities, there are words that the embattled governor may have relocated from his hide out in France.

Igbinedion was on January 9, 2008 declared wanted in Nigeria by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly stealing N2.9bn belonging to the state. The EFCC said the N2.9bn was looted and transferred through numerous companies, including Gava owned by the former governor’s father, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion.

Impeccable sources told pointblanknews.com that Mr. Igbinedion whose London House in High Gate area was searched by London metropolitan Police is sensing that he could run but could not hide from the INTERPOL who are doing everything possible to smoke him out.

A close associate of Igbinedion told pointblanknews.com that the ex-Governor having escaped from France maybe heading for an undisclosed location in North Africa. Past trails have demonstrated that Igbinedion ones found a place to stay in Morocco. He indeed maintained regular shuttle between Morocco and France until he was tipped off recently on the INTERPOL warrant of arrest being executed on him.

A source that struck for anonymity with pointblanknews.com disclosed that Mr. Igbinedion is spending time trying to decide the most plausible option on whether to go to a Nigerian country and ultimately find his way back home either through land trip or by air.

The London Metropolitan Police in London yesterday carried out an extensive search of a home that belongs to former Governor Lucky Igbinedion of Edo State.

Igbinedion’s main London residence located in the High Gate area of London—described as one of London’s most expensive addresses—was subjected to what a source within the Metropolitan Police described as a sweeping search.

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The early morning raid was conducted by crack anti-money laundering officers of the Metropolitan police. Mr. Igbinedion was not in the home at the time of the search. Our sources would not reveal if any documents were seized, but they told our correspondents that no arrests have so far been made. Even so, they said the former governor would have been taken in had he been in London at the time of their visit.

Former Governor Igbinedion had been declared wanted by Justice Binta Murtala Nyako of the Abuja Federal High Court. Last week, the judge issued an arrest warrant following an application by investigators from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission who accuse Mr. Igbinedion of extensive looting of his state treasury. He was also slammed with 142 charges of corruption, money laundering and abuse of office.

Mr. Igbinedion remains in hiding in France, where the EFCC has met limited cooperation and mutual assistance in pursuing Nigerian public officials wanted in connection with money laundering.

France is home to a sizeable chunk of looted assets held by former military President Ibrahim Babangida. Babangida is believed to have stolen some $12 billion from Nigeria between 1985 and 1993. He was forced out of power in 1993.

The Metropolitan Police say their investigation of Mr. Igbinedion’s involvement in money laundering is ongoing. They said it was too early to disclose if they would apply to a court to order Igbinedion’s assets frozen.

Last year, the British police convinced an appellate court to freeze more than twenty million pounds sterling in assets believed illegally acquired by former Governor James Ibori of Delta State. Mr. Ibori is currently remanded in Kaduna prison while he undergoes trial on multiple counts of money laundering and corruption.