Obiano spends first night as Anambra’s ex-governor with EFCC

Willie Obiano has reportedly spent his first night as the ex-governor of Anambra State in the custody of the EFCC.

The spokesman for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the development in a telephone chat with The Punch on Friday morning.

He, however, did not state how long the anti-graft agency would detain the All Progressives Grand Alliance chieftain.

Uwujaren did not also state whether the ex-governor was arrested alongside his wife, Ebelechukwu.

“Obiano was arrested and he is still in our custody,” the EFCC official said, promising to provide the anti-graft agency’s next line of action in the coming days.

EFCC operatives had reportedly picked up Obiano at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, around 08:30pm on Thursday night.

The ex-governor, who had been on the watch list of the EFCC since November 15, 2021, was arrested while trying to board a flight to the United States.

The sixty-six years old was arrested just at the expiration of his immunity, barely hours after handing over to his successor, Charles Soludo, in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

The arrest occurred hours after his wife was slapped by the widow of the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Bianca at the inauguration of Soludo as the new governor of the state.

Willie Obiano was reportedly arrested for allegedly mismanaging over N17bn Paris Club refund and security vote.

He is also being probed over some suspicious projects, including the Umueri International Airport project whose cost was believed to be inflated.