Posted by By Henry Chukwura and Femi Folaranmi in Yenagoa; Ben Okezie in Abuja and Christian Ita in Lagos on
Fresh insights emerged weekend on how Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha escaped from London where he was restricted to after his arrest on September 15 over allegations of money laundering.
Fresh insights emerged weekend on how Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha escaped from London where he was restricted to after his arrest on September 15 over allegations of money laundering.
Although earlier reports had claimed he was taken out of London by ferry to Paris from where he connected Cameroun enroute Bayelsa, Sunday Sun can authoritatively report that Alamieyeseigha actually left London Saturday by flying British Airways from Heathrow airport.
The escape plot was ingenous and audacious, nonetheless, the stuff James Bond movies are made of.
While on bail in London, the embattled Bayelsa governor was permitted to receive visitors at his home.
As such, when on Thursday (November 16), a group of ten gaily-dressed women posing as relations from Ijawland, Nigeria arrived his home, undercover security personnel, who were maintaining surveillance over the house, had no cause to suspect that something fishy was afoot.
Hours later, nine of the ladies emerged from the mansion and took off in the same vehicles they came in. Unknown to the Metropolitan Police, Alamieyeseigha, who by then had been disguised as a woman, was among them.
The Metropolitan Police did not even realise that the Bayelsa governor had escaped until the following day being Friday, November 18. This was because he failed to show up at the local police station where he was required to report every day by 12.30pm as part of the bail conditions.
After waiting for hours on the august visitor from Nigeria to show up, the unsuspecting British detectives went over to his residence.
On getting there, they, according to impeccable sources, found one of the original ten ladies, who, as it were, had swapped clothing with the governor. The British cops left with the impression that the governor was merely visiting friends in the neighbourhood and would still keep the appointment later.
On Saturday, Alamieyeseigha surfaced at Heathrow airport, still disguised as a woman and armed with travel documents bearing an assumed female name, boarded the Port Harcourt-bound British Airways flight.
The "distinguished lady" actually traveled in the business class section. However, the game was almost up for him mid-flight when a Nigerian, who sat close to him, became curious about the facial features of the "lady" sitting beside him. After taking a closer look, he was able to recognise Alamieyeseigha and reportedly whispered to one the cabin crew members.
Apart from the excuse that the plane was in flight, the crew reportedly dismissed the "tip-off" apparently because she was not prepared for any embarrassment in the event that the claim turned out to be false.
Sunday Sun learnt that as soon as the flight touched down at about 8 am Sunday, the "distinguished lady" alighted and confidently walked down the tarmac where a boarded a car that took him straight to his hometown of Amassoma.
It was from Amassoma he stormed Yenogoa Monday morning to the shock of residents and the acting governor, Goodluck Jonathan.
CSO, PSO leave Abuja
Meanwhile, the Chief Security Officer (CSO) and Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to the governor who were summoned to Abuja Police Headquarters by the Inspector General, Sunday Ehindero, earlier in the week arrived Port Harcourt by the last flight Friday enroute Yenogoa to resume duties in the State House.
While in Abuja, it was gathered, the two officers were questioned over their role in the police parade Alamieseigha reviewed Monday morning in the State House in Yenogoa. The police authorities were taken aback that a governor who jumped bail in London could enjoy such exclusive privilege in Bayelsa.
The CSO and PSO were reportedly thoroughly grilled by a panel headed by DIG, Force CID at the Louis Edet House, Abuja.
Following the removal of the Bayelsa Police Commissioner Tuesday, a new COMPOL has been named for the state. He is Mr. Afeez Ringim who, until now was Osun COMPOL. Before his secondment to Osun, Ringim had equally served as COMPOL in Adamawa State.
Anticipating testier days ahead in Bayelsa, the police authorities, it was further gathered, have put two contigents of Mobile Policemen on the stand-by in Abuja to respond rapidly.
Already, the State House of Assembly Wednesday served the governor a 14-day impeachement notice. The State House is now desolate. Though the governor was sighted during the week in his office, he usually retreated to his native Amasoma after close of work. The deputy governor himself has abandoned his official residence to to his private home while tension mounts in Yenogoa by the day.