Hours After Tenure Ends:
Fleeing Nigeria’s Former Anambra State Governor, WILLIE OBIANO Arrested at Lagos Airport on way to United States
*Fancy dressing erstwhile governor had been on law enforcement watchlist since 2021, secretly under investigation for fraud
*Nigeria Immigration Service alert EFCC of Obiano’s plan to fly to Houston, Texas, begs not to be handcuffed
* “We can tell you that by 8:30pm tonight, Willie Obiano, a former Governor of Anambra State was intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on his way to run away and board a flight Overseas. He is under investigation, in our custody”-EFCC spokesman, Wilson UWUJAREN
* BY ILIASU RABIU/AIRPORT Correspondent, Lagos
THERE seem to be no hiding place for former Anambra State Governor, WILLIE OBIANO few hours after his tenure, as he was planning to beat the eagle eyes of law enforcement agencies and travel to Houston, Texas, United States. A strong law enforcement inter-agency intelligent exchange led Nigeria’s Immigration Service, NIS, to alert the nation’s apex Anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, who picked Obiano at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos State. Eyewitness account reveal that the embattled former chief executive was begging EFCC agents not to be handcuffed and was ready to cooperate with them.
EFCC on Thursday arrested Obiano, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
Naija Standard Newspaper learnt that Obiano, who had been on the watch list of the EFCC, was arrested while trying to board a flight to the United States.
Recall that the commission had in a letter to the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service dated November 15, 2021, asked immigration to place Obiano on a watch list and inform it anytime he is travelling out of the country from any of the international airports and other points of entry and exit.
The Commissioner for Information in Anambra, Don Adinuba, had, however, dared the EFCC, insisting that his boss would return to the US – his original base – after leaving office.
However, barely hours after handing over to his successor, Prof. Charles Soludo, it was learnt that Obiano made his way to Lagos after which he proceeded to the international airport.
On sighting him at 8.30pm, immigration officers were said to have alerted the EFCC who immediately arrested him and took him to their office.
When contacted on the telephone, the spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the former governors’ arrest, promising to provide more details later.
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