James Ibori says his Lekki House is no Secret

Tony Eluemunor, spokesman for James Ibori speaking on behalf of his boss says James Ibori's Lekki house was never a secret as it was listed down in Asset declaration forms he filled in 1999, 2003 and 2007. The EFCC had one January 24 made it public that the jailed former Delta State Governor has a discovered mansion at Lekki. The property was discovered at 5, Alpha Beach Road, Lekki in Lagos.

The statement reads:  
"Despite EFCC’s insinuations to the contrary, the Alpha Beach Road house was built as far back as 1994, and so could not have, by any leap of the imagination, been built with proceeds, corrupt or not corrupt, from my office as State Governor because I began to live in that house five good years before I was voted into office”.

"Also, if the stories published about the house were actually based on EFCC’s statement, it means that the EFCC has accepted that Ibori was actually enormously rich at least half a decade before he became Governor of Delta State- after all, EFCC and the media called the house a “mansion”. 

"So, perhaps trying to hide this fact that Ibori was a man of means before he became governor, the EFCC and their agents are using all infernal tricks to cast doubts about when Ibori actually built that house.

"For the records, Chief Ibori reiterates that the house was not only built in 1994 before he became governor, it has featured in his asset declarations.

"Also, Chief Ibori has been cooperating fully with the Crown Prosecution since the preliminary stages of the confiscation process began, in line with the United Kingdom Criminal Justice Act (CJA) of 1988, so he does not see why the house has become an issue – especially as Nigeria has surrendered her jurisdictional sovereignty to Britain," the statement said. 

Nigerians continue to destroy their countries with greed. Funds meant to be used for public use as well as uplift millions out of poverty are used for personal purposes yet these leaders will still have the guts to deny and insult the intelligence of people. A nation of stealing comedians called leaders.

Official: Foreigners aid Oil Crime in Nigeria

'A bad workman blames his tools.' -English proverb

A Nigerian official in the Petroleum Industry says the increase in oil crime rates and pipelines vandalisation is a result of foreign interventions in the purchase of illegal crude oil from criminals in Nigeria.

Abolore while visiting Areppo, scene of the most recent pipeline vandalisation and fire mishap stated that the power of the vandals and perpetrators of oil crimes is on the rise because there are ready-made foreign buyers and foreign cash for the illegal products.

The worrisome aspect of this statement is maybe there exists any difference between the vandals, the government and oil officials cum workers. They are all oil thieves. The government condemning foreigners berth oil in the coast of Togo so as to perform 'magic' in supply. An act similar to piracy. Officials also connive with oil marketers to fraud the country and the people.

One begins to wonder where lies the legitimacy in the statement when Shell pays government specially for security to avoid being subjected to environmental laws and accountability. Where is the legitimacy when citizens are executed as in the case of Ken Saro Wiwa for Shell BP to continue operations.

The government indicting the foreigners is the same government with numerous oil scandals; swimming in corruption without any iota of responsibility, accountability and concern for the welfare of the people. Without any crack in the wall, lizards cannot partition the inside of a fence into rooms.