March 21, (THEWILL) – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says Willie Obiano, the former Governor of Anambra State, has been granted bail, but still in its custody because he is yet to perfect the conditions stipulated for his release on bail.
Chairman of the Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, made this known on Monday, in a chat with newsmen on the sideline of the 5th Annual General Assembly (AGA) meeting of the Network of National Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA), taking place in Abuja.
Asked why the Commission has kept the former governor in its custody beyond the period allowed by the Constitution, Bawa, said: “He has been granted bail and we are waiting for him to perfect the bail conditions and everything is going well.”
It will be recalled that Obiano was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, last Thursday, few hours after he handed over to his successor, Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
The anti-graft agency subsequently transferred him to its office in Abuja for further interrogation.
The former governor, who had been on EFCC’s watchlist, was among other things, accused of misappropriating public funds totalling about N42billion.
Meanwhile, the EFCC Chairman, in an address he delivered at the NACIWA event, said the Commission had within last year, secured an unprecedented conviction record of 2,220 and recoveries in excess of N152 billion, $386 milion, among other recoveries.
“The Commission has also embarked on several reforms aimed at strengthening the institution, including the development of a reporting application named Eagle Eye, to ease the reporting of incidences of economic and financial crimes by the public.
“The EFCC has further developed a five-year Strategic Plan that guides its operational approach in law enforcement action.”
The NACIWA Assembly was co-hosted by both the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC.
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