Ibori's corruption charges started with filling of petitions by his kinsmen under the auspices of Delta State Elders and Stateholders Forum influenced by the foremost Ijaw leader, Chief E. K. Clark, OFR, CON who was also the former Minister of Information. The petition was sent to Nuhu Ribadu, the head of Nigeria's financial crimes agencies who initially failed to act on the petition which made the Forum, who, with other activists, revealed Ibori's crimes and made spirited efforts to bring Ibori and EFCC before court to compel Ibori's prosecution with the aid of their lawyer Kayode Ajulo.