BREAKINGNEWS: Willie Obiano has been released on bail by the EFCC.

Willie Obiano, the former governor of Anambra State, was released on bail on Wednesday evening by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

As part of his bail conditions, Mr Obiano’s passport was seized.

Last week, the ex-governor was apprehended at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammad International Airport as he prepared to board a flight to Houston, Texas.

The arrest is said to have occurred around 8.30 p.m. on Thursday, just hours after he resigned as governor and thus lost his immunity to arrest and prosecution.

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Mr Obiano, who had been on the EFCC’s radar for a while, was arrested on suspicion of corruption.

“Obiano was arrested on suspicion of misappropriating public funds, including the N5 billion Sure-P and the N37 billion security vote, both of which were withdrawn in cash. Mr Uwujaren, the EFCC’s spokesperson, told Punch newspaper that part of the funds were also allegedly diverted to finance political activities in the state.

Both the EFCC spokesperson and Abdulrasheed Bawa, the commission’s chairman, refused to provide any additional information.

“I’m not sure what kind of update you’re looking for, because you’ve been accusing us of media trials, and you want me to say we’re doing this and that.” We (EFCC) would never do such a thing. “We will continue to conduct our investigation in a professional manner,” Mr Bawa told journalists in Abuja.

Mr Obiano’s detention by the EFCC was also documented in a 12-second video that went viral and sparked debate. He was wearing shorts and a white shirt in the video, and he was drinking water from a bottle in a closed room that appeared to be in EFCC custody.

Many Nigerians condemned the video and demanded an investigation into how it was taken and leaked from the EFCC office.

According to the EFCC, the officer responsible for the act has been identified, and he is currently facing appropriate disciplinary action.

Investigation
The former governor had been on the EFCC’s watch list since last year.

In November last year the EFCC had requested that the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) place the governor on a watchlist and notify it whenever he travels out of the country from any of the international airports and other points of entry and exit in a letter dated November 15, 2021.