Posted by BBC News on
Nigeria's anti-corruption body is due to start legal proceedings against a governor in a special court, which can strip elected officials of immunity.
Diepreye Alamieyeseigha is being prosecuted for corruption and failure to declare assets at the Kaduna Code of Conduct Tribunal.
He escaped to Nigeria from the UK where he was accused of money-laundering.
Correspondents say he is under siege, facing impeachment in his home state and suspension from the ruling party.
Extra troops have been sent to Mr Alamieyeseigha's oil-rich Bayelsa state and they have closed down the state radio station, which some see as being close to the governor.
He has moved out of official residence in state capital, Yenagoa, and has surrounded himself with his own team of armed bodyguards.
Last week, Mr Alamieyeseigha told the BBC that the £1.8m ($3.2m) found in his properties in London did not belong to him.
He said the charges against him were politically motivated.
Women's clothing
Although elected officials have immunity from prosecution in Nigeria, the BBC's Yusuf Sarki Mohammed in the capital, Abuja, says the Code of Conduct tribunal can override this and can even prosecute the president.
Several days ago, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo wrote to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair seeking an explanation of how Mr Alamieyeseigha managed to escape while he was on bail.
Mr Alamieyeseigha said he was prepared to return to Britain, where police say they want him back to face the charges.
He was granted bail on condition that he remained in the UK, surrendered his passport and reported regularly to the police.
If the judges find that he has skipped bail, securities worth some £1.25m ($2.14m) would be forfeited.
Mr Obasanjo set up the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in order to fight fraud in a country ranked as one of the most corruption in the world.
But his critics say the anti-corruption drive is bring used to eliminate political rivals.
Mr Alamieyeseigha is seen as being close to Vice-President Atiku Abubakar - who is vying with Mr Obasanjo for control of the ruling People's Democratic Party.