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The Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, has explained why the former Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, is still in EFCC custody, despite being granted bail after his arrest on Thursday, March 17, 2022.
Bawa, who spoke to journalists 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, disclosed that Obiano had yet to perfect his bail conditions by the EFCC.
Asked why the Commission has kept the former governor in its custody, against stipulations of the Habeas Corpus Act, Bawa, said: “He has been granted bail quite alright but we are waiting for him to perfect his bail conditions and everything is going well”.
Recall that Obiano was arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, last Thursday, few hours after handing over to his successor, Governor Chukwuma Soludo. He was said to be on his way out of the country enroute the United States of America.
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 to the tune of 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 N152billion, $386milion, 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.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Prof Bolaji Owasanoye, SAN, lauded the theme of this year’s NACIWA Assembly – “The Role of Regional Economic Communities in the Implementation of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption,” noting that “the theme is significant because it underscores the fact that, apart from the distinct obligations of state parties to the AUCPCC, regional Economic Communities such as ECOWAS are vital in the implementation of the laudable objectives of the Convention, and the distinct roles assigned to regional economic bodies such as ECOWAS and NACIWA.”
Speaking on the obligations of regional bodies under the convention, Prof Owasanoye noted that Article 3 of the Constitutive Act of the African Union enjoins member states to coordinate and intensify their cooperation, unity, cohesion and efforts to achieve a better life for the peoples of Africa.
“The African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption was adopted in Maputo on 11 July, 2003. The Convention states that: “Concerned about the negative effects of corruption and impunity on the political, economic, social and cultural stability of African States and its devastating effects on the economic and social development of the African peoples; (and) Convinced of the need to formulate and pursue, as a matter of priority, a common penal policy aimed at protecting the society against corruption, including the adoption of appropriate legislative and adequate preventive measures,” the African Union adopted the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption,” he stressed, adding that “A major objective of the Convention is to promote, facilitate and regulate cooperation among the state parties to ensure the effectiveness of measures and actions to prevent, detect, punish and eradicate corruption and related offences in Africa….”/SHARE THIS