It was reliably gathered yesterday that the former number one citizen of Edo State, who had been under EFCC surveillance since 2008, had been placed under a watch list and most likely would be declared wanted anytime this week by the anti-graft agency.
The EFCC, according to a source, sent the watch list to all border points in the country to forestall him from jetting out of Nigeria.
Igbinedion was last sighted at the wedding of Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s daughter in company of his friends on January 8, 2011, in Abuja.
The source further revealed that the decision to declare him wanted was a prelude to issuing an international arrest warrant on him to enable Interpol track him down wherever he was hiding in the world.
The implication of this is that what happened to former governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, who was arrested in Dubai last year by the Interpol after fleeing from the anti-graft agency in Nigeria, may again happen to the former Edo State governor who was said to have sneaked out recently.
Igbinedion was said to have jetted out when he discovered that EFCC was already on his trail, after a fresh investigation was launched against him.
When contacted on the matter, Head, Media and Publicity of the agency, Mr Femi Babafemi, confirmed that the commission was looking for Igbinedion and will explore all avenues to ensure that all wanted persons were brought to book.
He, however, said the agency’s Chairman, Farida Chinyere Waziri, had the final say on which of the options will be taken in the days ahead.
It would be recalled that the commission had arraigned Igbinedion on a 191-count charge previously but went for a plea bargain and got convicted but EFCC appealed the judgement to seek for stiffer sanctions.
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