By Valentine Amanze
Online Editor
Delta State former Governor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, who got his freedom from United Kingdom jail on Wednesday, is not under Police restrictions and does not have to report to the Police at all.
Mr. Tony Eluemunor, the ex-governor’s media aide, disclosed this in a statement. He explained: “Ibori was not placed under and Police surveillance with intent to monitor his movements. Even a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) report of Wednesday, titled, “Nigerian ex-Governor James Ibori Released From UK Jail” stated that much: “On Wednesday, the Home Office’s barrister said the government was concerned that Ibori might ‘frustrate confiscation proceedings’ and wanted him kept in jail or subject to strict controls on his movement.
“A Home Office application that Ibori be electronically tagged and subject to strict curfew conditions was also rejected after the judge accepted arguments that the home secretary was attempting to misuse her immigration and deportation powers”.
Eluemunor said that the need to issue such clarification arose from the conflicting reports in several media organisations over the terms guiding his release.
“A mischievous on-line publication misled many Nigerians into believing that Ibori would wear an ankle tag that would beam his whereabouts to the Police and also report weekly to the Police. But from the quoted BBC report, no such order ever came from the court but from some corrupt and corrupting minds.
“In fact, the BBC, quoting the Judge, Her Honour, Mrs. Justice Juliet May, Queen’s Counsel, said: “The position of the Secretary of State, as very candidly set out by Mr Birdling (representing the home secretary), is that she accepts that there is an argument that she has no power to detain him,“’ he stated
“I have decided that the balance of convenience falls heavily in favour of his (Ibori’s) immediate release. I am not prepared to impose conditions involving tagging or curfews.”
According to the statement, Ibori has given thanks and glory to the Almighty God for making his release from jail possible, despite the last-minute obstacle the British Secretary of State placed on his way.
“He is grateful to his team of lawyers who fought gallantly for his release. He sent his heart-felt gratitude to the dozens of mainstream news organisations, especially in Britain and Nigeria, that trained attention on the relentless persecution, instead of prosecution, he was receiving and which also led to the investigation of those who had earlier investigated and prosecuted him; the result was a far-reaching corruption indictments within such agencies. That was when the Director of Public Prosecutions, Alison Saunders, heeding the call of the journalists, demanded a review of the evidence following allegations that police took bribes and prosecutors covered it up.
“The review team found material to support the assertion that a police officer received payment in return for in
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