The ex-governor is currently under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly benefiting from the $2.1billion arms scandal.
Also hanging around his neck is an allegation that he mismanaged N19.8billion public funds while in office.
He has refused to honour EFCC invitation CR: 3000/EFCC/ABJ/ASO/TM5/VOL.5/596
The Nation gathered that the ex-governor used to frequent Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia.
But following the recent signing of six agreements by Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), he reportedly left Dubai for Singapore.
A highly placed source familiar with the ongoing probe of the ex-governor said the suspect entered into a marriage of convenience with the woman in Singapore with a view to protecting the investment of his laundered funds in the choice hotel.
He reportedly bought the hotel in the name of the ‘wife’.
“But the marriage turned into a scam because the ‘wife’ divorced the ex-governor and took possession of the hotel,” the source said yesterday.
“The suspect has been battling to retrieve the hotel from his ‘wife’. It is, however, doubtful if he can get it back.”
It was learned that the ex-governor is now in a serious dilemma.
Investigation revealed that over N600million of the $2.1billion arms scandal fund has so far been traced to the ex-governor.
Another source said EFCC has been on his trail in connection with the alleged mismanagement of N19.8billion state funds between 1999 and 2007.
“Documents showed that he collected N600million illegally from the $2.1billion arms deal cash through the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA),” the source said.
“Initially, the suspect was based in Dubai but following a close-up by detectives, he left the UAE for some countries where he has been on a make-shift life.
“We are weighing options on how to extradite him in order to bring him to justice. We will explore all legal options.
Responding to a question, the source added: “The former governor has been giving one excuse or the other for not honouring the invitation of the EFCC.
“At a point, the suspect said he had a heart-related problem but intelligence report confirmed that he was pretending.”
Meanwhile, the acting chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu has asked Nigerian youths to take up the gauntlet and become change agents in the fight against corruption in the country.
Represented by the head of the Benin Zonal office, Mailafia Yakubu, at an event to mark World Peace Day celebration in Benin City, Magu said the biggest challenges facing Nigeria were the “twin
evils of corruption and impunity.”
He charged the youths to imbibe the culture of excellence as future leaders of the country and to shun all forms of criminality.
“The corrupt and other economic and financial criminals can no longer hide because the Commission is working hard to bring them to justice,” he added.
Magu said it was disheartening that some youths were involved in advance fee fraud but warned that the prevailing economic challenge was not an excuse to commit a crime.
He said: “I agree that the country is going through a process but it is not an excuse to commit a crime, be legitimate in your dealings so you can be the future leaders that you are.”
The Nation
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