Ex-Governor says he was not deported from UK

chika ebuzor

February 7, 2017 8:33 AM

Ibori added that his trial in the UK was marred by corruption, adding that he will challenge his conviction.

Former Governor of Delta state, James Ibori has denied ownership of the Twitter account with handle @ChiefIbori.

According to Punch, Ibori also told his supporters and newsmen that he was not deported from the United Kingdom (UK).

The former Governor also added that his trial in the UK was marred by corruption, adding that he will challenge his conviction.

A statement issued by his spokesman, Tony Eluemunor said “Ibori wishes to correct the impression created by some news reports that he was deported from the UK. Even though I had wanted to publicise my return to Nigeria so that wrong meanings would not be read into the public interest that I knew my presence in Nigeria would elicit, I never wanted any crowd to gather because of me as I do not want to disturb Nigerians in the course of their duties, all my efforts to keep the trip secret failed. The airline that brought me to Nigeria is known to Nigerians, so also was my arrival at the airport.

“So, it would be easy to verify that I was not deported because the deporting country’s officials would always hand over deportees to the Nigerian Immigration officials and documents would also be exchanged. Those who have chosen to report lies, and claim that I was deported know that no document exists anywhere in the world to back up those malicious claims.”

"Most of all, a record of documented letters between Ibori’s solicitors and the British Home Office exists which proves beyond all reasonable doubts that Ibori was granted leave to exit Britain ‘voluntarily’, and he announced, as was reported by both Reuters and the BBC, and several Nigerian news outlets that he would return to Nigeria in a matter of days.

“He did not announce the exact day so as to avoid crowd control challenges for the security services,” the statement added.

ALSO READ: 4 Things James Ibori will do now that he's back

James Ibori served as Governor of the oil rich Delta state from 1999 – 2007.

Ibori was released in London in December 2016, after serving just over four years of a 13-year jail term.

The former Governor arrived Nigeria in the early hours of Saturday, February 4, 2017, according to reports.

chika ebuzor