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| Africa: Subsaharan | ||
| Police probe Alamieyeseighaâs link to terrorism | ||
| 2005-10-04 | ||
| Tony Eluemunor - Bureau Chief, Abuja: An appellate court in London, the Crown Court, will today decide whether (Nigerian) Bayelsa State Governor, Depriye Alamieyeseigha, should be granted bail on the allegations of money laundering leveled against him. The substantive case comes up on Friday at the Bow Street Magistrate Court. The lower court refused him bail last Wednesday and remanded him in prison. Alamieyeseighaâs counsel, Fidelis Odittah, is today expected to argue for bail on health grounds as his client was arrested in London on his way from Germany where he had gone for surgery. Meanwhile, a diplomatic source has disclosed in Abuja that the London police had expected to make a large haul of weapons when they arrested Alamieyeseigha last month. According to the source, he was being suspected of backing terrorism and â based on intelligence reports forwarded to the British by the Nigerian authorities â of smuggling arms. That was why the British police made the arrest with 25 police vehicles, cordoning off the British Airways plane as it touched down in London. The police searched all his suitcases, looking for the arms. It was learnt that the Nigerian authorities had told the London police that Alamieyeseigha is not just a major sponsor of terrorism he enjoys close links with Osama Bin Ladenâs Al-Qaeda. This was the connection Abuja reportedly made between his arrest and that of South South resource control activist, Asari Dokubo, who was incarcerated soon after the governorâs travail began. The source explained that since no arms were found on Alamieyeseigha, the Federal Government had to justify its terrorism allegation against him by arresting Dokubo who allegedly once said Osama bin Laden is his hero. The London police had reportedly been told that the governor and his âterrorist cellâ had perfected plans to destablise Nigeria by ensuring that it is not governable and by making conditions impossible for oil production in the Niger Delta â thus threatening world supply.
Dokuboâs conversion to Islam and his religious title of âAlhajiâ makes him fit the Islamic terrorist bill. But those conversant with Rivers State politics have said again and again that Dokuboâs gang was sponsored by an unnamed governor for strong arm tactics during past elections. He came to national limelight when he fought a rival militia in gangland style, which nearly exposed the governor.
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| Posted by:Steve |
| #1 Dan beat me to it, but this had been edited w/comments. |
| Posted by: Steve 2005-10-04 11:35 |