YENAGOA— EXACTLY 67 days after the Metropolitan Police in London arrested Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa State on allegations of money  laundering and placed him on surveillance, the governor caught the British security napping when he escaped from London and landed in Yenagoa, the state capital at  about 2.00a.m. yesterday while the people were still asleep.

A security source told Vanguard that the governor who disguised as a woman took a train on Friday at Waterloo station in London to Paris and boarded an Air  France flight to Douala, Cameroun from where he took a boat to Amassoma, his hometown on Sunday.

Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State who was arrested like Alamieyeseigha on money laundering charges sometime ago also escaped from London.
At first, there was disbelief when the people woke up to hear the news of the governor’s arrival but the initial skepticism soon gave way to certainty when the  governor, who was looking trim after his tummy tuck operation, addressed thousands of supporters who thronged the Government House, Yenagoa to catch a  glimpse of him at about 10.35a.m.

It was not really clear yesterday how the governor whose case with the London Police is still pending mesmerized the British security. A source said he did not go  near the British airports because he knew that the security dragnet for him there was heavy. The security at the Government House, Yenagoa, was, nonetheless,  relaxed as even the security men joined the people in celebrating the governor’s return.

The state House of Assembly, which recently sacked its Speaker and Deputy Speaker and also approved the elevation of the Deputy Governor to the status of acting  Governor did not sit yesterday but stern-looking policemen were seen guarding the premises with the gate locked.

In the words of one of the government officials who spoke to Vanguard: “We are pleasantly surprised by his arrival because we did not know he was coming back at  the time he came. I must tell you I did not know at all.” His acting Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Preye Wariowei, simply told newsmen that his boss arrived at about  2.00a.m, yesterday.

The speculation was that he was spirited out of London by some foreign security agents but the information could not be authenticated. However, the controversial  spiritualist, Dr. Panya Tuesday who was reportedly hired by some aides of the governor to secure his release told Vanguard when contacted that he was not  surprised at the governor’s return, adding: “I told them before that he would return home but they doubted me.” Dr. Tuesday, however, said the governor would still  be reporting back to the Police in London until the case is disposed off.

Sporting milk coloured linen attire with his traditional resource control hat, the governor, accompanied by a team of security men, arrived Government House from his  residence at exactly 10.30a.m. Top government officials were not aware of the Alamieyeseigha’s return until he showed up in the office. Some of them told Vanguard  that they also heard the rumour but could not confirm until they saw him.

The Deputy Governor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who was already in his office when the governor arrived left to confer with him. An obviously happy Alamieyeseigha,  whose entry into Government House in a black jeep was heralded with fanfare by his supporters who besieged there to welcome him, came out five minutes later to  address them.

The crowd had followed him from Tombia junction when they sighted him coming from Amassoma. The curiosity on the faces of many that formed a long queue on  both sides of the road, however, gave way to wild celebration when Governor Alamieyeseigha as if to confirm to the doubting Bayelsans that he was back in flesh and  blood brought out his face from jeep in which he was riding to the admiration of all.

Commercial and governmental activities were temporarily disrupted as the entire capital city stood still as the governor’s train made a triumphant entry to  Creek  Haven (Government House). As a mark of respect for the people of the state for remaining steadfast, the Government House gate was thrown open to all Bayelsans  for the first time in recent times, causing the entire premises to be jam-packed with thousands of supporters most of whom had lost hope of his return.

The long convoy eventually terminated at the Government House at about 10.30 a.m. with Alamieyeseigha emerging from his jeep with a clenched fist to the  admiration of all those who had come to welcome him back to the state before proceeding to the office he had been away from for over two months. He later  emerged on top of his car park at exactly 10.35a.m flanked by the state deputy governor, Dr. Jonathan; the impeached deputy speaker of the state House of  Assembly, Mr Jepthath Foingha; Mr Oronto Douglas, Information and Strategy Commissioner among other aides to address the mammoth crowd in his native Ijaw  language. He said his return was as a result of their prayers and commended his deputy for holding forte in his absence.

His words: “It is difficult to comprehend the way my people love me. If something has not happened to you, you wouldn’t know. What went through my mind was  that if half of my people could understand that this our leader is going through all this ordeal because of us, I would have been a fulfilled man.

“If a shepherd is removed, the flock scatters. So my preoccupation for this week is to bring everybody back. So no love is lost. Not everybody can stand pressure.  Because people have derailed does not mean that they are no longer part of this state we have been able to build. So we need to bring them back and I will achieve  this within the next few days,” he said.

He said he would make a statewide broadcast on television and radio last night but as at the time of filing this report, he was yet to make the broadcast. The  governor’s cousin, Chief Abel Ebifemowei, who has been on the run for sometime following the EFCC invasion of the state also made a surprise return to the state  capital with his long deserted office turning into a beehive of activities.