Former Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano, has been released from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) facility where he had been detained since last week.
By Emma Ogbuehi
The ex-governor regained his freedom on Wednesday and has rejoined his family in Aguleri, Anambra state.
The ex-governor was arrested on Thursday, March 17 at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, as he was preparing to board a flight to Houston, the United States.
The arrest was said to have taken place at about 8.30p.m. last Thursday, hours after he left office as governor and, thus, lost his immunity from arrest and prosecution.
He was released by the anti-crime agency after meeting his bail conditions. His passport was however withheld as part of the bail conditions.
A former aide to Obiano, who spoke with our correspondent, confirmed his release. He said; “I can confrirm to you that Akpokuo (Obiano) has been released. He is currently in his Aguleri home town with his family. He sees his travails as part of the sacrifice for service to the father land. The storm will soon be over”.
Obiano, who had been on the EFCC’s watch list for some time, was arrested over corruption allegations.
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“Obiano was arrested for alleged misappropriation of public funds, including, N5 billion Sure-P and N37 billion security vote which was withdrawn in cash. Part of the funds was also allegedly diverted to finance political activities in the state,” EFCC’s spokesperson, Uwujaren said
Both the EFCC spokesperson and the commission’s chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, refused to provide further details.
“I don’t know what update you want me to give, because you have been accusing us of media trials, and you want me to say we are doing this and that. No, we (EFCC) would not do that. We would continue to do our investigation professionally as we have been doing,” Mr Bawa told journalists in Abuja.
A 12-second video of Obiano in EFCC custody also went viral and caused controversy. In the video, he was dressed in shorts and a white shirt, drinking water from a bottle in a closed room presumed to be in EFCC custody.
The video elicited a wide range of opinions with many Nigerians denouncing it and demanding an investigation into how such was taken and leaked from the EFCC office.
Anambra State council of traditional rulers, particularly took exception to the video, describing it as unwarranted humiliation of the former governor.
The EFCC said it has identified the officer responsible for the act and the official is currently being subjected to appropriate disciplinary action.