A Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, has granted a former governor of the state, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed, bail.
Ahmed was detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for alleged fraudulent transactions involving billions of naira that took place during his tenure as governor of Kwara State
The anti-graft agency also accused the former governor of chartering private jets with the sum of N1,610,730,500.00 meant for the security and running cost of the government of the state.
The EFCC had detained Ahmed after he honoured an invitation for interrogation on Monday, as confirmed by his Chief Press Secretary, AbdulWahab Oba, who said his principal’s visit to the EFCC office was a matter of procedure and routine
But by Tuesday night, Mr Oba expressed worry that the EFCC was still holding on to Ahmed, having given him some stringent bail conditions.
Oba said,
“Yes, he is still with the EFCC and we are now in a dilemma over the issue because they keep changing the goalpost during the match. The case is taking a new dimension, which we don’t really understand for now.
“Initially they said they wanted him to produce two sureties who are federal directors. The sureties came and were asked to provide landed properties in Abuja. We see this as a contradiction. The case was initially handled by the EFCC office in Abuja
Meanwhile, members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party in Kwara State, led by the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olusegun Adewara on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest to the EFCC zonal office in Ilorin, where Ahmed was being detained.
The protesters, who carried placards with various inscriptions, expressed displeasure at what they alleged as the involvement of the All Progressives Congress in the state in Ahmed’s troubles
The zonal commander of the EFCC, Michael Nzekwe, was quick to debunk thiswhile addressing the protesters, insisting Ahmed had been given administration bail but he could not meet the conditions.
Nzekwe said, “We’re wrapping up. Once we wrap up, the law will take its course. The anti-graft agency, being a creation of law, would not go contrary to law.”
On arraignment before the Federal High Court in Ilorin on Friday, Justice Evelyn Anyadike gave eight bail conditions for the former governor’s release
(C) ControlTV 2024.
