EFCC Releases Ex-Anambra Governor, Willie Obiano

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released the immediate past governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, on administrative bail.

EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed this to Channels Television on Thursday.

He said the former governor was released on Wednesday and that his passport is still being held by the anti-graft agency as part of bail conditions.

Channels Television had earlier reported that the EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa explained that Obiano was still in custody because he has yet to meet his bail conditions.

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Bawa also stressed that Obiano’s arrest by the EFCC was not politically motivated.

Obiano was arrested last week at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, hours after handing over to Governor Charles Soludo.

The ex-governor was arrested for allegedly misappropriating N5billion Sure-P and N37 billion Security Vote funds, which were withdrawn in cash.

Channels Television had reported that the EFCC placed him on a watchlist in November last year, about five months to the expiration of his second term in office.

The anti-graft agency went on to ask the Nigeria Immigration Service to inform it anytime Obiano was travelling out of the country from any of the international airports, as well as other points of entry and exit.

After handing over to his successor, Professor Charles Soludo, the former governor was intercepted by EFCC operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Thursday last week.

He was said to be on his way out of the country to Houston, Texas in the United States before he was arrested and later transferred to the EFCC head office in Abuja, the nation’s capital.