Olayiwola Matthew
The immediate past Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Udom Emmanuel was on Tuesday night released from the EFCC custody in Abuja after he was interrogated in the alleged N700bn fraud.
He returned to his Abuja residence on Tuesday night after honouring an invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Mr Emmanuel, who served as governor between 2015 and 2023, was said to have arrived at the EFCC’s corporate headquarters in Abuja around 3:30pm on Tuesday following an invitation from the anti-graft agency and left their premises at about 8:30pm.
An inside source in the anti graft agency who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press, told our correspondent that Mr Emmanuel was invited by EFCC to answer allegations of N700 billion fraud.
A civil society organisation called the Network Against Corruption and Trafficking wrote the petition.
Following his response to the questions raised by the petitioners, the former Governor left to returned back to his Abuja residence, Tuesday night.
When contacted, a source in his home confirmed that Mr Emmanuel who is an avid football lover, was enjoying the Champion’s League game between one of his favourite club, Arsenal and PSV, saying the former Governor appeared unperturbed over his earlier visit to the agency.
“Oga is back home and as we speak he is watching his team demolish PSV, with his friends in his parlour,” said the aide who however preferred to speak in confidential tone.
It was gathered that the news of his arrest and alleged detention was authored and syndicated even before the former Governor arrived the headquarters of EFCC, having had to come in from a trip outside the country immediately he was notified of the invite.
“It is our duty to invite people to come and respond to allegations of financial impropriety and that is why he was invited”, a source told our reporter.