Diepreye Alamieyeseigha: sudden death

Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha,former Nigerian air force officer and former Bayelsa State governor, is dead.

He died today in Port Harcourt, of cardiac arrest, according to reports. Born on 16 November, 1952, he was aged 62.

The former governor was impeached in December 2005,paving way for the emergence of his then deputy, Goodluck Jonathan as governor.

After his impeachment, he was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and kept in detention until he was was jailed two years for corruption in July 2007.

He was pardoned by his kinsman, former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013, amidst intense disapprovals by Nigerians.

Alams or DSP, as he was fondly called, was arrested in Britain in September 2005 over money laundering allegations. But he jumped bail and ran to Nigeria, forfeiting a bail bond of £1.25m. How he managed to sneak out of Britain remains a mystery. Reports then said he disguised as a woman to escape from British police. He denied the story in a series of interviews.

The United Kingdom High Commissioner in Nigeria, just a few days ago said his country was still interested in bringing him to justice. He faced three money-laundering charges after police found £1m in cash at his London address and property in his name worth £10m.

Asked how he evaded British controls to make it back to his village of Amassoma in the Niger delta. “I don’t know myself. I just woke up and found myself in Amassoma.”

Before he became governor of the oil-rich state in 1999, he was the Head of Budget, Planning, Research and Development of the National Fertiliser Company(NAFCON), which has now been privatised.

Before then, he was the Sole Administrator of Pabod Supplies Port Harcourt.

He attended the Bishop Dimeari Grammar School, Yenagoa. He joined the Nigerian Defence Academy as a Cadet Officer in 1974, then joined the Nigerian Air Force, where he served in the department of Logistics and Supply.

He held various air force positions in Enugu, Makurdi, Kaduna and Ikeja. He retired from the air force in 1992 as a Squadron Leader.