LAGOS, Dec. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- At least five Nigerian state governors could be arrested by British police on money laundering charges if they went to Britain, besides Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau state, Nigeria's The Guardian newspaper reported on Sunday.

    The newspaper said three of the governors are from the southernzone of the country, one from the southeast and the last from the southwest but didn't mention any name.

    "The governors, according to investigation, will surely be guests of the Metropolitan Police and the same humiliating treatment given to the impeached Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha (of Bayelsa) awaits these five anytime they come to London," it said.

    A British detective was quoted as describing one of the governors "as a crook." "Some of these people became governors and within a week, they became very rich," the detective said.

    But Governor Rashidi Ladooja of Oyo state in the southwest, who fallen out with his professed political godfather recently, was not included, the newspaper said.

    Nigeria is considered one of the most corrupt countries in the world, and the country's anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has accused many state governors and their officials of stealing public funds.

    The impeached Governor Alamieyeseigha was originally arrested on September 15 by British police in London on charges of money laundering.

    Dressed as a woman, he, however, successfully fled the country and returned home last month but was impeached by the state assembly, then arrested and now arraigned on a 39-count charge of money laundering.

    Last year, Governor Dariye of Plateau state also skipped bail to escape trail in London and returned home. He has since refused to make himself available for further interrogation by British police. Enditem