The tale of woes of former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, may not have ended afterall.

Just when it seemed he could savour a new lease of life, falling back on what he acquired before becoming governor, the Ijaw politician is having another battle on his hands. This time, it is on the home front.

•Alamieyeseigha Photo: Sun News Publishing

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Though he has settled issues with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), his next headache is how to retrieve some of his valuables from a cousin he gave them for safe keeping at the peak of his problem.

The lady that is Alamieseigha's present nightmare in one Miss Preye Okosi, a Port Harcourt-based businesswoman.

The assets in question include raw cash, share certificates belonging to his children and fabric, trinkets and raw gold belonging to his wife (Margaret) said to operate top-flight boutiques in Lagos.

Already, she has returned some exotic cars to the governor including a Hummer Jeep.

Having been stripped of his known properties including balance and buildings valued at billions of naira by EFFC recently after a plea bargain, the former Bayelsa governor must have banked on these assets for life-line.

Said to have been arrested and later released at the instance of the former governor, the lady has since gone underground.

From her hiding, she has petitioned the Inspector General of Police and Chairman of the EFCC (a copy of which Sunday Sun has) through her lawyer, Barrister Festus Keyamo.

Her petition is entitled “Victimization of Miss Preye Okosi by D.S.P Alamieyeseiagha on account of properties concealed from the EFCC”.

In it, she raised an avalanche of allegations against Alamieseigha including harassment, intimidation and threat to her life. She also alleged how some of those properties were ill-gotten wealth, which she only got to realize much later.

Preye narrated how she, acting on Alamieseigha's instruction in 2005, helped to evacuate valuables such as exotic cars, clothes, documents and trinkets from the former governor’s private residence in Port Harcourt for safekeeping.

Then, the former governor had just been granted bail by a London Court over the money laundering case.

According to her, done with the evacuation, she promptly handed over the house keys to one Tombra Alamieyesiegha who continued to stay there until he finally relocated to the United States of America.

When Alamieseigha completed his case in Nigeria, Preye said, she returned his valuables in her possession.

However, matters came to a head on November 1, as she was reportedly picked up and detained at the old GRA police station in the Garden City.

She also claimed that the police had similarly detained her aged mum over the same matter.

Contacted Friday night, Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr Felix Ogbaudu confirmed the story but declined to give details. He merely said: “We are investigating the matter. It is true we arranged a meeting between Mrs Alamieseigha, Miss Preye and their mutual relation, one Mr. Patrick. I can tell you we're investigating the issue.”

But Sunday Sun investigations pointed to the fact that there is more to it than Preye’s petition.

For instance, a dependable police source said the lady was detained for alleged theft and later released, describing her as "an ingrate whom Alamieyeseigha rehabilitated.”

“I can tell you that Alamieyeseigha made that woman comfortable by employing her at the Bayelsa State Liaison office in Port Harcourt. It is heartless for her to turn round and betray someone who was really nice to her while he was governor. He even caused her to be paid as much as N400, 000 per month. And when she thought the man had insurmountable problems, she tried to play smart. Can you imagine that?

"Can you imagine, when we raided her residence where we were able to recover some items, we discovered that this lady had dashed out some of Alamieseigha's household items like cutlery to the gate-keeper. Apparently, she never imagined in her wildest dream that Alamieyeseigha would come out of his trouble alive.

“This is a lady that carried Alamieyeseigha’s property to the Bayelsa State Liaison office in Port Harcourt rather than keep them in a private place. If she didn’t have a hidden agenda, was that the best place to go keep them?”

The police source further informed Sunday Sun that in the course of investigation, the lady in question once went on her knees pleading with Mrs. Margaret Alamieyesiegha to forgive her.

Sunday Sun findings weekend was to the effect that the house - 3, William Jumbo Street, Port Harcourt —from where the lady reportedly retrieved the said property is the private home of the Alamieyesieghas pre-governorship days.

Efforts to reach the ex-governor for comments were abortive as at press time last night. Sunday Sun similarly contacted his attorney, Chief Mike Ozekhome, for reaction on behalf of the Ijaw politician.

Ozekhome said: “No, I am not aware of any petition against Alamieyesiegha, nor do I know anything about the subject matter. And, Alamieyesiegha has not intimated me about any such matter.”

Trouble

Alamieyesiegha’s problems began late 2005 when he was arrested in London on arrival from Paris where he went for surgery.

Subsequently, the British police arraigned him in court on money laundering charges but was later granted bail.

He jumped bail and returned to Nigeria controversially and promptly returned to his desk at the Government House in Yenagoa.

Not long after he took over from his then deputy, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, the State House of Assembly impeached him, thus paving the way for the EFCC to take him away.

With a progressively failing health, the former governor entered a plea bargain with the EFCC, had his assets confiscated to regain his freedom.