FG Wants Akingbola Extradited From Britain
ABUJA, July 07, (THEWILL) - Remember Mr. Erastus Akingbola, the runaway former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Intercontinental Bank? Yes! The Nigerian Government has officially applied to the British Government for his extradition to Nigeria to face trial for fraud and other financial crimes perpetuated while he was chief executive at the bank.
Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), Nigeria’s chief law officer has sent the application for his extradition to the Home Secretary, United Kingdom Central Authority, based on the request by the Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
Akingbola, who took to his heels in the wake of allegations by the central bank last year, has a 28-count charge round his neck for offences of financial misappropriation, money laundering, financial malpractices, corrupt practices and other related offences at the Federal High Court, Lagos.
In an official application sighted by THEWILL titled: "Request for the arrest and extradition of Mr. Erastus B. O. Akingbola (former MD/CEO of Intercontinental Bank Plc) to stand trial in Nigeria,"Adoke said, "The request for the extradition is made pursuant to the Extradition Act (Designation of Part 2 Territories) Order 2003 (SI 2003 No. 3334) of the United Kingdom".
The application dated July 1, 2010 with reference number DPPA/EXT/149/10, the purpose of Nigeria’s demand for Akingbola’s extradition was to enable him stand trial for the offences for which he has been charged by the EFCC.
Adoke who urged the Home Secretary to grant Nigeria’s request in the interest of justice, noted that "The letter from Intercontinental Bank Plc forwarding detailed information, including photographs of Mr. Erastus B. O. Akingbola and attestation, is at page 238-244 of documents in support of the request."
Nigeria’s request was backed with an affidavit sworn to by a deputy Superintendent of the EFCC, Ibeakaku Nkechi Rita, with a certification signed by a Senior State Counsel of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Ahmed T. Almakura.
THEWILL recalls that the CEOs that were sacked by the CBN alongside Erastus Akingbola (Intercontinental Bank) were Okey Nwosu of Finbank; Sebastian Adigwe of Afribank; Mrs. Cecelia Ibru of Oceanic Bank; and Bartholomew Ebong of Union Bank.
Erastus Akingbola, in the wake of probe by the apex bank got first hand information about his impending arrest and flew to the United Kingdom to evade arrest by the EFCC.